Wildlife charity boat stolen during swan rescue

June 2009. The rowing boat belonging to Leatherhead-based charity Wildlife Aid has been stolen - in the middle of an animal rescue mission!

Wildlife Aid founder Simon Cowell and three of the charity's volunteers were called out to a lake in Bewbush, Crawley, to save a swan which had a fishing hook through its beak and jaw.

The swan was near death as it was completely unable to open its beak.

Swan rescued
Having rowed across Ifield Mill Pond to get to the swan, the wildlife rescuers set about removing the hook from the poor creature's mouth. Thankfully the night-time rescue was a success, the hook was removed and the swan was released.

But by the time the rescue team had finished their work, their boat had vanished! Simon reckons that kids may have taken it for a ‘joy-ride' on the lake and then dumped it.

New boat needed - Please help
"A rowing boat is absolutely essential for Wildlife Aid as a lot of our rescues are water-based and we often have to get out into the middle of lakes and rivers or into marshland", Simon explains.

"On this occasion we'd crossed Ifield Mill Pond and got out of the boat to attend to the poor swan, and in the time that we were dealing with the casualty the boat was taken."

Wildlife Aid is appealing for help to get a new rescue boat. If you are able to support the Appeal, please call Simon on 01372 377332 or email wildlife@pncl.co.uk