A new adult male black swan, called Bert, has been brought to Dawlish.

It comes after the previous adult male was killed by a dog on a lead last month.

It is hoped that Bert will pair up with the adult female swan, who is in good health and currently keeping company with the two young swans that hatched in August last year.

Bert is being housed in the aviary at the waterfowl compound and will soon be released into Dawlish Water.

Waterfowl Warden Don said: "He'll be there for a day or two, couple of days maybe.

"It's totally different to where he's come from, so it wouldn't be fair just to chuck him straight out.

"The mum is about two and half [years old] now, something like that, and the male I've brought in is about one and a half, maybe a bit more.

"The plan is for him to make his presence felt and heard, if you know what I mean!"

The newly hatched cygnets

After the previous male swan was killed by a dog, six eggs were removed from the nest at Tuck's Plot and put in the waterfowl compound.

Five cygnets then hatched. They are currently being kept in an incubator, and are being raised by the wardens.

Don added: "They'll be in there until they're old enough to go into the aviary, and then it'll be a matter of time before they can go out when they've got feathers."

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