A wildlife lover is on a mission to save swans from starvation during cold winter months.

Val McDonnell, who lives in Priory Close, Harefield, spends her free time and money feeding swans to keep them alive and is urging people in Ruislip to take a leaf out of her book this Christmas.

Mrs McDonnell has been feeding the birds at Rickmansworth Aquadrome for the past four years. Now she says she is worried about the swans and ducks at Ruislip Lido in Reservoir Road, but fears she cannot afford to care for the wildlife at both sites.

She said: “The swans are starving in the winter months but nobody seems to know or care. I want to reach out to any animal lover who would be sad to see them in a bad way."

Swans were caught on camera marching along the road in Lakeside Close, Ruislip, which connects with Reservoir Road.

The neighbour who snapped the photo (above) asked not to be named but said: "I have never in all the time I have been here seen the swans such a distance away from the Lido.

"I also saw them this afternoon camped on a neighbour's lawn, busy eating their grass."

Dorothy Beeson, who works at The Swan Sanctuary, said a lot of people are put off from feeding wild birds because they think bread is bad for them, but it is actually perfectly healthy.

“It’s absolutely fine to feed them bread - as long as it isn’t mouldy. If you think it would be fine for yourself then it would be fine for the swans.

“It is a very hard time for all water fowl at this time of year. Weeds die off in cold weather so they really struggle to get enough food.

“We are thankful because we know lots of families like to go down and feed the birds at the lido, we would like to encourage people to continue to do so.”