Stranded cygnet rescued from roof in Canada Water

Who’s an ugly duckling? Not this swan!

But he or she might not be so smart, getting stuck on a roof in Canada Water, especially when the cygnet should have in theory been able to fly off.

Still, some kindly humans helped get this one out of its predicament last weekend.

Volunteer rescuers from the Swan Sanctuary rescued the young swan which had landed on the roof of the equally distinctive Canada Water library on September 6.

A resident in a block of flats overlooking the library had spotted the stranded cygnet and contacted the sanctuary.

The rescuers brought the high-flying swan down from the roof, assisted by Southwark council staff, and released it safely on to Canada Water, where it re-joined its parents and five other cygnets.

Gill Walker, volunteer rescuer for the Swan Sanctuary, said: “This is a dangerous time for young swans as they make their first flights.

“Swans need a lot of space to take off, having landed on the roof it didn’t have space to take off again.

“If it hadn’t been spotted, this swan’s first flight could have ended in tragedy. It was very lucky.”

Pictured top: The Swan Sanctuary rescuers Gill Walker and Louisa Green on the library roof preparing to move the cygnet down