Sick yobs pelt swans with rocks

May 12 2009 By Russell Butt

SADISTIC teenagers pelted a nesting swan and her eggs with rocks and stones in broad daylight last week.

Three swan eggs were smashed in the sickening attack which took place at Virginia Water Lake, Virginia Water, on Tuesday, May 5, at around 6pm, when four youths, in their early teens were seen on bikes near the lake.

A couple walking their dog in the area were suspicious of the youths and watched them target a nesting swan with a horde of stones and rocks, which they threw at her, and the male, until she left the nest. The thugs then aimed their missiles at the unprotected eggs, breaking three of them.

The couple turned and chased off the louts, who fled, leaving a bike behind, and a stick with sharpened points.

The woman said: "They left behind a bike and pieces of wood, with sharpened ends. They must have come armed with the wood and lots of rocks and stones. I can only thinking they had the sticks to try and stab the swans.

"We were just devastated, it's a lovely park and it was just so callous what they did. Those swans have been there for years and they attacked them so hard. Someone must know who they are because their son will have come home without his bike."

The swans are believed to have been unharmed, four eggs remained intact.

Officers from Surrey Police attended the scene but despite a vehicle and foot search of the area they were unable to locate the youths. Officers from the Englefield Green Safer Neighbourhood Team are working with park wardens to investigate the incident and are appealing for witnesses.

The youths are described as males between 13 and 14 years old. One was wearing a bright yellow football shirt and the other three were wearing dark anoraks. The bicycle that was left behind was a silver 'Hurricane' mountain back, which police have now seized.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with any information should call Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference RM/09/2842, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.