Wildlife hospital to build rehab pools with shot swan funds

Rehabilitation pools for injured water birds are to be built with money raised to help treat a swan that was shot through the head with a crossbow bolt.

The male swan, known as George, was injured when he was shot in Pittville Park, Cheltenham, last month.

More than £6,000 was raised to help pay for his treatment and for a reward to catch the person responsible.

Some of the cash will be used to build the purpose-built pools at the wildlife rescue centre where he was treated.

Last week George was released back on to the lake where he has lived for several years and is now doing "very well".

Caroline Gould, from Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre at Beckford near Tewkesbury, said: "He is eating well and in the water a lot, splashing about and loving being back, by the looks of it."

"Altogether, with gift aid, we've raised well over £7,000. It's absolutely amazing. It's unbelievable the support George got."

She said the money would be used to build "proper" rehabilitation pools.

"We can't just dig ponds because we're on a flood plain and we've got no drainage.

"They've got to be specialist pools with pumps and drains. It won't be a cheap job.

"We thought it would be nice to use the rest of the money, George's legacy, to give better facilities to patients like George."

A 15-year-old boy and a 48-year-old man, both from Cheltenham, were released on bail after being arrested last week under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.