Happy ending due for swan whose nest and eggs almost drowned during this week's flood in Milton Keynes

A brave volunteer and armfuls of straw have saved the day for a swan whose eight eggs were in danger of being washed away by floods in MK this week.

The young swan had made her nest at a city balancing lake and her eggs were due to hatch this week.

But she got into trouble during Tuesday’s storms when the water level suddenly shot up by a couple of feet within minutes, threatening to wash the eggs away.

MK animal lover Allie Short, who volunteers for a national swan rescue charity, realised the bird’s plight and rushed to the scene.

"She didn’t have time to put on waders or anything – she just waded right into the water with her jeans and trainers to stop the nest from going under,” said Allie’s partner Scott Humphries.

"The nest was in danger of submerging totally, meaning the eggs would have rolled away under the water and been lost for ever,” he said.

The pair used straw to carefully make a platform to prop up the nest and raise it about a foot above the water level.

"Luckily the swan seemed to trust Allie. She’s a regular visitor there and the swan seemed to recognise and know she was helping save her eggs,” said Scott, who is a Newport Pagnell town councillor.

"It was important that we didn’t touch the eggs or the swan could reject them. Allie just balanced them on the straw and the swan used her beak and her feet to roll them into place.”

It was touch and go whether the swan would approve of her new look nest, but luckily she resumed sitting on the eggs almost immediately.

“We’re checking on her regularly and she is turning the eggs every few minutes, which is a sign they are due to hatch at any time and she’s ready to become a mum,” said Scott. “We’re hoping we’ll see the cygnets any day now.”

We have not revealed the swan’s location in case onlookers disturb her.

Meanwhile, Allie gets up at the crack of dawn every morning and leaves her Tinkers Bridge home to check on swans and wild birds in lakes all over MK. Her tasks include moving swans to other sites when they are being bullied and also rescuing any injured ones.

Many of the birds come to know her and recognise her, said Scott.

This month had been particularly busy with three rescues in just eight days. These included a pair of Furzton Lake swans who had become tangled together with fishing line.

"The fishing hook become embedded in the foot of one of the swans and as she swan around, the line wrapped round another swan. Allie had to carefully untangle them,” said Scott.

Another task last week was to drive miles to a rescue centre to pick up a tiny robin that had been nursed back to health after being injured.

"We brought him back to Willen Lake and released him there. It was a wonderful experience,” said Scott.

Meanwhile, Allie is urging dog owners to keep their pets on the lead near swans and cygnets.