FIRE crews came to the rescue of a swan that was stuck on the ice on The Crammer pond in Devizes on Saturday.

The fire fighters were called into action after people spotted the large bird in distress at around 5pm.

Retained station commander Pip Flowers, from Devizes fire station, said that at first it was thought the swan was caught in the ice but then it became clear it was injured and could not move off the slippery surface.

Mr Flowers said: "It maybe that the swan had injured itself landing on the ice. There was a bit of blood but it was flapping its wings and could move its legs. It just didn't have the strength to move off the ice."

A specialist water rescue team from Trowbridge put on dry suits and waded into the water pulling a sled and carefully got the swan on to the raft. The swan was then wrapped in blankets and taken to the side of the road.

Mr Flowers said a passing PCSO then volunteered to take the swan to a wildlife hospital near Salisbury.

He said: "It didn't seem to be in too bad a way but it was lucky it was spotted when it was."