Dead swans found mutilated in park

Savages who mutilated swans in a Sunderland parkland have been condemned.

Wearside’s Conservative membershave hitout atwhoever is behind the attacks in Herrington Country Park, with one of the birds left decapitated following one recent incident.

Residents have raised concerns with councillors after a series of mutilations in the park.

One resident told councillors they have discovered multiple dead swans around the park’s main lake during early morning walks in the last three weeks – and they suspect human involvement in at least two cases.

The Conservatives say they have informed police and Sunderland City Council’s antisocial behaviour team aware of the incidents.

The party’s leader of ward members on the council, Councillor Antony Mullen said: “I am disgusted by these senseless attacks. To kill an animal in such a brutal way and leave their beheaded bodies for others to find is despicable.

“I have alerted the Council and the police to these sickening incidents and I have been reassured that action will be taken to catch the perpetrators.

“Anybody with any information should contact the police. Parents whose children use the park at night also need to question whether they could have been involved.”

It is not the first time that swans have believed to have been attacked in the park.

In June it was reported to police that a baby swan had died after it had been ‘deliberately run over’.

Northumbria Police can be contacted on 101 or via the Tell Us Something page of the force’s website.