Treyfish
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Swan found on shore feared to have bird flu
Published on 17/11/2007
SWAN’S GONE: The dead swan found by Alan Williamson on Earnse Bay, Walney, had disappeared when council officials went to examine the bird
A BEACHCOMBER who feared a dead swan might have died of bird flu called out town hall officials to investigate.
Barrow Borough Council’s environmental health department was called in after the bird was spotted on the beach at Walney.
Alan Williamson, of Roding Green, thought there was a danger that the animal could have been a victim of the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus, like a dead swan found in Scotland last year.
Government scientists believed the bird found in Scotland originated from outside Britain.
A team sent out by Barrow Town Hall could not find the bird on Walney beach, although Mr Williamson confirmed it was still there last night.
Mr Williamson said the swan was unringed, like the one found in Scotland, and was probably a Mute swan of the same type.
He said: “It had probably been flying over and had gone down for a rest.
“I thought it was a bit unusual because it was not ringed.
“It could have come from literally anywhere and with the bird flu down south I thought it was best to report it.”
But Ian Laird, a cleansing officer at the town hall, said they could not find it in the reported spot on the beach in front of the Walney Golf Club course.
Mr Laird said they had consulted the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs because of the latest outbreak of deadly avian flu in Suffolk.
He said: “They told us in the case of single birds we should just note it but if it got to the stage where we started to get a few of them then Defra needs to know.”
Thousands of turkeys have been slaughtered at farms in Suffolk because of the latest and worst outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu in Britain.:tiphat:
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=565812
Published on 17/11/2007
SWAN’S GONE: The dead swan found by Alan Williamson on Earnse Bay, Walney, had disappeared when council officials went to examine the bird
A BEACHCOMBER who feared a dead swan might have died of bird flu called out town hall officials to investigate.
Barrow Borough Council’s environmental health department was called in after the bird was spotted on the beach at Walney.
Alan Williamson, of Roding Green, thought there was a danger that the animal could have been a victim of the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus, like a dead swan found in Scotland last year.
Government scientists believed the bird found in Scotland originated from outside Britain.
A team sent out by Barrow Town Hall could not find the bird on Walney beach, although Mr Williamson confirmed it was still there last night.
Mr Williamson said the swan was unringed, like the one found in Scotland, and was probably a Mute swan of the same type.
He said: “It had probably been flying over and had gone down for a rest.
“I thought it was a bit unusual because it was not ringed.
“It could have come from literally anywhere and with the bird flu down south I thought it was best to report it.”
But Ian Laird, a cleansing officer at the town hall, said they could not find it in the reported spot on the beach in front of the Walney Golf Club course.
Mr Laird said they had consulted the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs because of the latest outbreak of deadly avian flu in Suffolk.
He said: “They told us in the case of single birds we should just note it but if it got to the stage where we started to get a few of them then Defra needs to know.”
Thousands of turkeys have been slaughtered at farms in Suffolk because of the latest and worst outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu in Britain.:tiphat:
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=565812