LOCALS are used to seeing swans swimming about on the river at Upton-upon-Severn, but a few heads were turned when this rare black swan floated into town this week.

The striking species is native to Australia and, despite being popular with wildlife parks and private collectors, has never flourished in the wild in this country.

This photo was taken by Upton resident Jackie Surtees, who had heard that the swan had been spotted on the river.

“When I went down to the river on Wednesday morning I noticed the resident swans coming out of the marina and a while later I noticed them coming upriver being chased by the visitor,” she said.

Steve Bloomfield, a conservation officer with Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said the sighting was definitely a notable occurrence.

“Up until early 2000 there had only been about 40 or 50 sightings in the wild and, although the most recent survey recorded way more than that, they are still reasonably scarce,” he said.

“I would think that, without question, this is one that has escaped from a local wildlife site or, more likely, a private collection.”

Mr Bloomfield said that the black swan could well have been at large in the countryside for some time. “Although they have never really successfully bred in the wild, they are very capable of looking after themselves,” he said.