Stanley Park swans fighting back against deadly bird flu

Nine swans found dead in Stanley Park in mid-November died from avian flu, the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs confirmed - just a few weeks after the UK was put on red alert for the contagious disease.

The first deceased swan was discovered on Sunday, November 15. Other dead swans, plus three sick ones, were recovered from the park in the following days.

The lake was cordoned off and the RSPCA was called in.

Since then, no more swan deaths have been reported, Blackpool Council said.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that the last reports of bird flu in Lancashire dated back to late November, when four swans tested positive for the disease.

Elaine Smith of the Friends of Stanley Park group said: "We're very thankful and we're hopeful that it's all over. The lake remains closed off, but that's because we don't want to risk any of the droppings being taken home and people's shoes and the bird flu spreading to domestic birds.

"But thank goodness we know what has happened. We're very much looking on the bright side of things. We'd like to think that next year things will start looking up even more."