Swans hunt for junk food in Lake District town after tourists told to stop feeding them

Swans have been raiding a Lake District town's bins for junk food after tourists were warned to stop feeding it to them.

The birds have been waddling nearly half a mile from Lake Windermere to Bowness-on-Windermere, where they have been scavenging for scraps outside a Tesco supermarket and fast food outlets.

It comes after signs were erected - by an unknown person - urging visitors against throwing fast food or bread to the birds.

Residents are understood to be concerned that the swans could now be hit by cars or attacked by dogs, and that their large size could be intimidating to pedestrians, particularly small children.

Marian Jones, a ranger for the Lake District National Park Authority, said: "One of the reasons swans and other birds are attracted to Bowness is because they're being fed.

"Unfortunately, this can cause health problems for the birds and make them tame, which can put them at risk from traffic and dogs.

"To protect these birds and reduce the risk of accidents, we advise people to not feed them."

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said swans in public spaces can often suffer from serious vitamin deficiencies due to people feeding them bread.

RSPB spokeswoman Annabel Rushton told Sky News: "Fast food should not be fed to swans. Just like us humans, it is not good for them and its grease can get stuck to their feathers making it difficult for them to preen, which they need to do to keep their feathers waterproof.

"Bread can act as an empty filler, so although it isn't harmful to birds as such, it should only be fed in small amounts as its nutritional value is relatively low.

"What can often happen in public spaces is that swans and ducks can end up on a diet of predominantly or entirely bread and so can suffer from serious vitamin deficiencies from a lack of balanced diet.

"Better alternatives include bird seed, halved grapes, potatoes, and greens like spinach, to try and provide a more varied, more natural diet than bread."

All wild mute swans in Britain are considered to be the property of the Crown and it is illegal to kill one.

Anyone found guilty of trying to injure a wild bird, or kill or take it without a licence, can face up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to £5,000.