Stayed by trapped cygnet

Published: Thursday, 08 January 2015

A SWAN would not leave its cygnet that had become trapped in Freeman's Lock in Leicester for two days, until eventually a boater was able to open the gate to unite them.

It would seem the cygnet had somehow managed to get into the full lock but just could not get out with its mother staying with it for two days on the outside of the gate, Howard Clarke tells us.

Trapped

The water was not enough for it to get out and of course a lock is not long enough for a swan to gather enough impetus to fly, so the cygnet was trapped.

Photographer Nigel Kibble took the picture of the distraught pair and phoned Canal & River Trust on the Sunday, but was told no one was available to release the cygnet.

The situation was unchanged when he walked by on the Monday, and he called CART again, with no luck, but by Wednesday a boat had come along with the boater opening the gate and freeing the bird, with Nigel seeing them once more together.