The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I today 10.30 approx. called the police to report a Mute Swan that was beside the A46 Dual carraigeway at Brough that was a obvious danger to cars and to the Swan itself. Soon after reporting it another lady stopped who also reported it again, I don't know who she was but she had a large dog cage and some blankets in the back of her car that was really useful.

10mins later the police turned up which was good being so quick, but then told us the we couldn't attempt to rescue it because he wouldn't get authorised to shut the carrigeway, I asked him what would happen, to what he replied "nature would have to just take its cause". We couldn't believe this so in no uncertain way the lady pointed out the consequences that could happen if it attempted take off on such a busy road, not just to the swan but the cars etc.

He then decided off his own back to shut the carraigeway to allow us to rescue it. We were very succesfull and after no more than 30-45 secs I had the swan under my arms. We put it into the cage, the lady took it to a animal rescue centre and the carraigeway was back open within 2mins.

I would like to say thanks to the Lady and the policeman who shut the carraigeway but would like to know whether the police was right in the first place to refuse to close the carraigeway when you think off the possible consequences that could have happened.

Thanks Mark

Although nothing to do with birds, a couple of years ago I was on my way to Seathwaite in Cumbria on the B5289, a narrow lane with steep banks and stone walls either side, when I encountered a flock of 20+ sheep blocking the road just round a blind bend. I only just managed to stop in time and I as I reckoned this to be a risk to traffic (and the sheep!) I thought to telephone the Police. Not having the number of the local station and as I considered it to be an emergency I rang 999 only to be told it wasn't and emergency and to stop wasting Police time!

David