RESIDENTS have voiced their concern for swans nesting in the build up of debris by Worcester Bridge, after one of the birds was found dead there.

Worcester News:

The island of waste has been left behind by the recent flooding. It is usually cleared away by the council - although it is the responsibility of the Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust - but due to the coronavirus pandemic they have not been able to.

The river level is now too low to be able to reach the rubbish by crane.

Local animal lover Chloé Leblanc-Libotte said: “It is mating season for the swans, they have started making nests on the debris. I spotted a dead swan in a bag, along with multiple other swans nesting. It was very distressing.

“I hope that something can be done. I fear there may be a lot more deaths including the cygnets once they are born.”

Worcester News:

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, it’s not safe for our personnel to work under the bridge to clear the debris because we cannot safely maintain remain 2m apart. Although unsightly, at present the debris is not causing a flood risk."

The Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for the river navigation adds:“The debris that has gathered is the result of recent floods. This is not unusual, and under normal circumstances we work with the Environment Agency and the local authority to clear such debris. However, due to the restrictions around COVID-19, this has not been possible.

"We appreciate the understandable concern for a number of swans in the area. Though there have been sightings of swans on the debris we understand there are no signs of a nest there at the moment.

"While it’s unlikely we’ll be able to remove all the debris at this time we will be removing the dead swan, and assessing the situation further, taking care to observe safety guidelines. We have been in contact with the Swan Food Project and will be passing further details of the bird, such as its identification ring, on to them.”