A SWAN that had its neck sliced through to the bone after becoming tangled in discarded fishing line is now back home upon the Severn.

Due to its severe throat injuries, volunteers from the Bishop Wood Rescue Centre feared the bird would have to be destroyed.

But after nearly six weeks of careful nurturing, the team, based in Stourport-upon-Severn, released the bird back on to the banks of South Quay on Tuesday.

Two other birds, which were caught up in the line near to the Cathedral in July, are also doing well after they were rescued by Worcester fire crews.

One swan was released on the day, while the other spent 10 days being nursed back to health in the centre.

Lots of care, plenty of antibiotics and a diet of soft food proved the ideal recipe for helping the last injured bird cope with its damaged neck and gashed leg.

Volunteer Richard Bird is happy the trio are now restored to health, but said abandoned fishing line and lead poisoning are all too common problems for swans.

"The river Severn, having a No Fishing area, should really be one of the safest spots, but we still have lots of problems with birds becoming tangled in fishing line," said Mr Bird.

"In Bewdley, we recently had around six swans dying from lead poisoning within a two-week period."

The team of volunteers responds to calls about any injured species of bird, with an average of one per day being dealt with.

The centre has already helped 25 different birds this month alone and 80 per cent of those are swans.