Swan rescued from Captain Cook car park Middlesbrough

The Captain Cook Square car park in Middlesbrough had an unexpected resident last week (February 9) when a young male swan became trapped in a compound.

A security guard spotted the bird land the night before, and presumed he would simply fly away. But, upon inspection in the morning found that he was stuck.

Thee rescued swan. (Image: RSPCA)

RSPCA Inspector Krissy Raine attended the scene and caught the bird, who she described as ‘very feisty’ and uninjured, before releasing him on the nearby River Tees.

Inspector Raine said: “The river is close and it was very wet at the time, so I think the swan was landing thinking the top of the roof may have been a pond. He was young and probably finding a place to settle, but the confined space meant he wasn’t able to take off - as swans need a run-up of at least 30 metres (98ft).

Captain Cook multi-storey car park. (Image: RSPCA)

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“As RSPCA officers, we never know what sort of jobs we’re going to be called to - being on the roof of a busy multi-storey car park to rescue a swan is definitely a more unusual one for me, but we’re just glad to have been able to release him unscathed.

“Our thanks go to the security guard who reported his plight to us, he said it was a first for him too.”