AN RSPCA officer is urging people to have more respect for the environment after he rescued two swans in a week.
Justin Stubbs, who is the officer for Stamford, was called out on Wednesday to The Meadows in Stamford after receiving reports of a swan tangled in some fishing tackle.
He freed the bird but was called back again in the evening to another ill ma
le swan, who has been nesting in the area for at least 10 years.
Mr Stubbs caught it on Thursday morning and took it to the East Winch Animal Centre in King's Lynn. It is believed it is suffering with lead poisoning, which could have been caused by old fishing bait in the river or from litter thrown into the water.
Mr Stubbs said: "The swan has been in Stamford for the past 10 years but he has got some sort of pollutant inside him.
"If it is lead poisoning and we can't clean him out, he might die from it so the situation is quite dire. He has got cygnets so his mate is having to look after them alone at the moment, which can also be quite risky."
Mr Stubbs says the incidents may not have happened if The Meadows was kept in a better condition
Mr Stubbs said: "I would normally be called out about once a month to deal with a swan on The Meadows so to get two in one week is very unusual.
"I don't think people realise how much their actions affect the wildlife so I would just ask people to show a bit more consideration."
Mr Stubbs said he went kayaking along the River Welland between Stamford and Hunstanton and over the last few years has noticed how much more litter there is in the water.
He said: "Even if it looks clean in Stamford, the litter floats down stream and it is absolutely disgusting in some areas.
"It is the worst I've ever seen it and if people continue to drop litter, it is only going to continue getting worse. I just want people to take better care of the river so the wildlife can live happily."
Stamford Rivercare Group, which looks after the river and raises awareness of it, has backed Mr Stubbs' calls for people to be more responsible.
Group member Rachel Huxley said: "The amount of litter is increasing and it is not very nice for anyone.
"The district council do a fantastic job clearing the litter on The Meadows but there is only us who clears it from the river and it can harm the wildlife and is a real eyesore."
The group holds regular sessions to clear the river. To get involved e-mail rivercare.stamford@googlemail.com.
