Swans saved after being hit by kerosene spill (From Western Telegraph)

Swans saved after being hit by kerosene spill

A COLONY of swans rescuedafter a keroseneleakagenearthe Milford Haven Waterwayhave beencosting a wildlife worker £35 a day to keep.

Theincident at Petroplus three weeks ago saw 500 gallons of keroseneseeping from a storage tankinto a stream at Llanstadwell and led to the rescue of the extended family of 15 swans who live at Hazelbeach.

Maria Evans, of Tinkers Hill, Amroth, and Terry Leadbetter, of Welsh Marine Life Rescue, spent three days the weekend before last rounding up the birds to check their condition and found they all needed attention.

"Kerosene is a de-greaser, and so it had affected the swans' waterproofing, making them unable to fly," said Maria. "They had also ingested some, as they had been drinking the water from the stream."

The swans are now recuperating at Maria's sanctuary, where they have all been dosed with veterinary medicine and are eating ravenously.

"They are all having specialised wildfowl food and are each wolfing down two loaves of the best wholemeal bread a day, and I've worked it out their keep for just a day is £35," she said.

Petroplus made an immediate donation of £300 to Maria to help with costs and will also be making a further payment, said a spokesman for the company, as well as a £300 donation to Welsh Marine Life Rescue in recognition of their help.

Petroplus is also paying the cost of a veterinary inspection and will be buying some special fencing to enable Maria to make a new pen for Tinkers Hill.

She is now waiting for the go-ahead to be able to take the swans back to their habitat, but in the meantime would welcome further donations towards their upkeep. She can be contacted on 01834 814397.