Swans found dead and one covered in oil after chemical spill
SHOCKING DISCOVERIES IN CONTAMINATED WATER
TWO swans were found dead and another found covered in oil following a chemical spill in Stallingborough.
Volunteers from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue and officers from North East Lincolnshire Council made the shocking discoveries, along with a mile-and-a-half to two miles of contaminated water in Middle Drain.
The situation first came to light when volunteers from the rescue organisation found a swan covered in oil on a busy Grimsby road on Thursday, May 5.
In a post to their Facebook page, the volunteers wrote: “Diesel the Mute Swan was collected by our volunteers today after being spotted on a busy highspeed road in Grimsby.
“Once the swan was safely removed from the road by our volunteer one thing became clear… HE STUNK of fuel and was covered across his body… He was so contaminated; he marked the floor wherever he sat!
“We rushed him back to the rescue to do an immediate chemical contamination clean to remove as much as possible while arranging treatment at our vets. Initial signs potentially show that Diesel had also ingested the chemical so further treatment has started as a precaution.
“With the vet bill estimated at nearly £400 already, the need to replace certain pieces of equipment (such as a swan bag that has been damaged from the fuel) along with the rehabilitation costs, we expect that this swan will cost the rescue over £600! It’s very fortunate for this swan that it wasn’t hit by a car and that no one had been smoking nearby.”
Through an online fundraiser, Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue were able to raise enough money to cover Diesel the swan’s vet bills.
The organisation were then made aware of another swan covered in oil in the same area on Monday, May 9, but have so far been unable to find it.
They wrote: “We’ve been made aware of another lone swan in the South Marsh Road/ Hobson Way area in Stallingborough which looks to also have some contaminants on its feathers, as this is the same location as the swan we previously collected, it could potentially be related to same chemical spill - they could also be a pair so getting them back together and healthy again would be great!”
Following an inspection by the Council, it was determined that the spill came from a discarded container found in Middle Drain. Pictures of the water show it gleaming with oil.
A spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council said: “We were contacted by Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue yesterday after two swans were found dead and another was found covered in what looks like diesel or oil in Stallingborough.
“The liquid appears to have leaked from a discarded 10-litre container found in Middle Drain, near North Moss Lane culvert. This incident serves as a reminder of the harm done by fly-tipping and littering.
“If anyone sees pollution of any kind in a watercourse, please report it to the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 807060.”