A family of swans trapped in a boggy pond have been saved in a sticky rescue mission and returned to the river.
A pair of beaked parents accompanied by their cygnets were left stranded in a muddy, dried-out pool.
The scorching weather surging through the UK this summer left their watery home completely deserted.
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The family of seven were trapped in the deep mud.
Fortunately, concerned passersby in Clehonger, near Hereford, alerted the authorities, who came to the rescue.
Firefighters based at Hereford Fire Station were sprung into action and got their overalls dirty.
The called-out emergency service workers waded into the pond and unstuck the animals, delivering them to safety one by one.
After getting the group to land, they were relocated to a fresh body of water.
With help from the Hereford Rowing Club, the firefighters transported the animals to the bank of the River Wye.
The family of seven quickly organised a single file line with one parent at the front and another at the back.
The group then swanned off into the distance on Thursday (7 Aug), as reported by Need To Know.
A Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We received a call from concerned local residents in Clehonger regarding some swans and their cygnets.
“The pond in which they were had dried up due to the dry weather, leaving most of them stranded in deep mud.
“After discussions with the residents and wildlife conservationists, we devised a plan to rescue the swans.
“After removing them from the mud, a decision was made to rehome them on the River Wye in Hereford.
“Our thanks to Hereford Rowing Club, their visitors and rowers for their support in helping the new arrivals settle into their new home.”
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