There are fears that half of a group of new-born cygnets on Nantwich’s Mill Island have been killed.
Hundreds of passersby have marvelled at the cygnets born to Nantwich’s popular swan family on the River Weaver last week.
But since then, numbers have reduced and experts fear one by one they have been killed.
David Cookson, of Cheshire Swan Study Group, said: “We had heard that they had hatched six cygnets and the last report was that they were down to three.
“It’s sad but that is life – nothing anyone can do about it. It is probably down to mink or birds.”
Some residents feared the baby swans had been attacked by dogs after previous incidents a year ago, or had been washed away by strong currents after heavy rain.
In a 2013 Swan Report compiled by RSPCA Stapeley Grange wildlife centre, 331 swans were admitted for treatment.
Of those, 57 had suffered lead poisoning or fishing injuries, 23 had been attacked by other animals, and three had been shot.
Wendy Burrows, wildlife supervisor at Stapeley Grange, said: “Fishing litter and high lead levels are still proving to be a problem which was the case for two swans and one duck which were admitted from a stretch of canal in Chester near the site of the old lead works.
“All three had exceptionally high lead levels and have been in the centre since October 2013, they have had a number of courses of treatment – one of the swans and the duck are now doing well with levels much lower than when first admitted.
“But sadly the swan with the highest levels I have ever seen since starting at Stapeley nine years ago, was found collapsed and a couple of hours later died.”
Assuming it’s the same pair I’ve just seen them on the river with only one cygnet.