FOLLOWING last Wednesday's Falmouth Packet report on the theft and damage of swan's eggs at Swanpool, predators have wreaked more havoc this week.

Tragedy struck the resident pair nesting at the southern end of the pool when a fox attacked the female as she sat on her nest, and badly injured her as she defended her eggs.

The swan was taken to the RSPCA west hatch hospital in Taunton, but later died.

Pete Lochrie, chairman of the Swanpool Forum, said: β€œOn Sunday, we noticed that the pen was on the raft out in the pool, rather than sitting on the nest.

"We monitored her to see if she moved of her own accord, but it became clear that that she was in a bad way.

"We took her to the vet, but sadly her injuries were too severe for her to be saved. Unfortunately, the fox destroyed the eggs, so there will be no cygnets at Swanpool this year.

The pair of swans had been resident on Swanpool for six years and were very territorial.

Mr Lochrie added: "It remains to be seen what the cob will do now.

"It is immensely sad that not only have predators been responsible for destroying the eggs on two nests, but that we have now lost our beautiful pen.”

Last week a new pair of swans nesting at the northern end of the pool had their eggs stolen.

Footprints left in the boggy ground, together with an unbroken egg found on the roadside verge, led to speculation that human trespassers were responsible.

However, Falmouth police were less convinced, believing the footprints to be those of concerned members of public checking on the nesting site after the egg theft had been reported.