ASBO swan saga continues

Published: Friday, 04 June 2010

THE 'ASBO' swan reported in narrowboatworld as attacking boaters on the Cam in Cambridge, has found an ally.

The Conservators of the Cam want to remove the swan and his mate from the river after complaints, particularly from  rowers, but boater Bob Middleton who moors his broadbeam on the river has told the conservators 'over my dead body' Alan Tilbury reports.

Upset

Known as Battleship Bob because his boat Robin's Nest is painted grey, he is upset that the authorities are attempting to evict the bird nicknamed Mr Asbo.

The conservators have applied to Natural England, after first approaching the Queen for permission to move the swan away from the area, after it had been attacking rowers on the river, but Bob has vowed the  bird and its mate, which is sitting on six eggs, will stay, relating:

"These birds are my friends. They let me cuddle them. The one they call Mr Asbo, who I call Big Nose, even floats in front of my boat and guides me along the river avoiding hazards. His partner, who I call Little Lady, is sitting on six eggs at the moment.

"There is no way they are going to move them. They will have to drag them out of my cold, dead hands.

"When they attack these rowers they are only protecting their young. I have seen one of their cygnets killed by an oar last year. Only one survived. Kids have been taunting the birds and killing cygnets. You can't blame them for attacking rowers. I've chased a few off myself."

He added that they would not hurt anyone unless they were threatened, and he has had enough of the Cambridge University  College rowers getting their own way, so he is making a stand.