Plans for new Blackpool angling club opposed by wildlife group

A wildlife rescue group has urged Blackpool councillors to reconsider plans for a new angling club after a cygnet was found with a fishing hook stuck in its beak. Brambles Wildlife Rescue said it was “disappointed” that the proposal was being considered just days after the bird was discovered in the lake at Stanley Park on Friday. The charity pointed to an increase in fishing-related wildlife deaths and said it was “not the time” to encourage more angling in the same water. A Blackpool Council spokesperson said any club would set rules for responsible fishing and help prevent water birds from becoming entangled in lines.