WHEN alarmed drivers saw two young men in their twenties bundling a swan into their car and driving off down Hylton Road, Worcester, they thought the worst.

The police were called and - apparently fearing the men might have kidnapped the bird for fun or worse - they issued a public appeal for witnesses.

But now one of the men in question has come forward - swan rescuer Dan Sidley, aged 20, of Whittington, near Worcester.

"It was me," he admitted. "The swan had injured his wing, so we caught him with a swan hook, had a look at it, and took him to the Bishopswood Wildlife Rescue Centre.

"No one knows how his injury happened, and unfortunately the vet decided he had to have his damaged wing amputated."

Mr Sidley says he's an experienced swan rescuer, having joined a swan rescue centre near his childhood home in Cirencester when he was 10 years old. When he arrived in Worcester three years ago, he set up Hereford and Worcester Swan Aid, which is manned by five volunteers.

Funded by donations, the organisation has no permanent premises. Mr Sidley says he is in the middle of applying for charity status for his group.

"It's my life," he said. "It takes up all my time. We do 500 rescue calls a year, and whenever I get a call day or night, I get up and go.

"Luckily, my partner works, which allows me to continue with it - but some days I'm so busy it means we don't see each other at all."

According to the RSPCA, no qualifications are needed to set up a wildlife sanctuary or rescue service.

As far as the injured swan is concerned, when it has recovered Dan says he will have a good life.

"We have seen time and time again that disabled swans can thrive when they return to the wild. Between five and 10 swans on the river at Worcester are unable to fly.

We'll try to find it a private pond, or failing that take it back to the river. With any luck it will find a mate."