It’s believed that a swan killed in Beddington Park was the female partner of a long-standing pair that had made their home there.

The Swan Sanctuary was called to the area over the weekend to retrieve the animal which had been hit by a catapult.

Swans mate for life and remaining birds are known to grieve for their lost loves.

Swan Sanctuary volunteer, Danni Rogers, is calling for a ban on catapults following the death of a number of birds.