Portsmouth pub landlord assists injured swan rescue with kayak

A Portsmouth pub landlord used a kayak to help rescue an injured swan in Langstone Harbour, Hampshire, after emergency services said the bird was trapped in fishing wire. The Sussex Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (SVFRS) reported its specialist team was called on Saturday to a male swan with “a very large lure” wedged between its beak and wing. SVFRS said an initial plan to use its rowing boat would have taken too long to reach from the rescuers’ base in Ford, West Sussex, because the swan was “in trouble and bleeding heavily.” Landlord Adam Szczypior of The Royal Oak then deployed his kayak. After spending the night at a wildlife hospital, the swan was “happily released back to his family” on Sunday. The incident highlighted the risks of careless fishing in the area.