Concerns have been raised about wildlife safety after a walker spotted a number of masks discarded in West Swindon.

Over the past year there has been a rise in disposable mask littering thanks to the Covid pandemic.

The walker, who wishes to remain anonymous, took a picture of the discarded masks on a lake bank at Lydiard Park, close to where a family of Swans was nesting.

They said: "I see them everywhere as I walk throughout West Swindon.

"So many more people interested in wildlife since lockdown.

"I think you would have to ask why they feel they can just dump them anywhere - when enough bins are supplied - also do they realise the health hazard they are to the public? Kids could pick them up and as for animals and wildlife I image getting necks trapped, getting caught and entangled.

"Why do they feel they are above the rest of people to dump anything anywhere?

"Would they like it if someone dumped their masks in their gardens?"

Their concerns were backed up by Swindon Borough councillor for the area, Mathew Courtliff, who added extra fears for other wildlife in the area.

He said: "We're lucky in West Swindon that we've got various wildlife parks and lakes around.

"Leaving masks or any kind of non-biodegradable litter is potentially going to danger the local wildlife.

"There's swans, fish, and as we've seen recently there's a big drive for anti-plastic items because things could get ingested by animals.

"I'm keen on stopping people dropping six-pack rings because I know they have an impact on hedgehogs which are already a declining population.

"Litter can, at worse, end up killing wildlife, and even at best it presents them with a hazard and face masks are no different."

Coun Courtfliff believes more fine enforcement could be necessary to stop the spate of littering.

He added: "If people aren't going to accept their own responsibility then enforcement of fines might be the only way to stop the issues.

"But fortunately in West Swindon we have a variety of litter picking groups, for every one person that is willing to litter there's even more of us willing to look after our environment.

"The parish added about 50 bins so people don't have that excuse any more because there's a lot been put in and in strategic places. They're in convenient places and if they see bins overflowing they should get in touch with the parish."