Swan attacks: Four more killed by catapults in Surrey and Hampshire

Wildlife volunteers have been called to more catapult attacks on swans in the South East and South of England.

Four more birds have been attacked - two of them killed - since 27 January, in Godstone and Old Woking in Surrey and Odiham in Hampshire.

In January, Shepperton Swan Sanctuary reported five birds killed in the first two weeks of 2024.

A petition has been launched calling for carrying or buying catapults to be banned.

Danni Rogers, a volunteer rescuer from the sanctuary, was called to a fatal attack on a swan in Old Woking on 27 January.

The bird's injuries were thought to have been inflicted by a BB gun.

Mr Rogers was then called to an attack on two swans in Odiham on 30 January, where one bird was killed and another seriously injured.

Witnesses reported seeing people firing catapults into bushes beside the water.

On 1 February, a bird was shot twice in the head with missiles from a catapult at Godstone. That swan is now recovering at the sanctuary.

Mr Rogers' petition to ban the sale and carrying of catapults needs to reach 10,000 signatures to get a response from the government and 100,000 to be debated in Parliament.

"If you're a youth of 14 or 15, why are you carrying a catapult in these areas?" he said. "They're not hitting tin cans - it's for one reason only."

He said "police should be able to step in and stop" such crimes.

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