A WILDLIFE rescue group has urged anglers to clear up after themselves after removing a fish tackle from a swan.

Ainsworth Wildlife Rescue often deals with callouts regarding to animals being injured by the fishing equipment and on Tuesday, dealt with a swan that had a tackle stuck in its side.

The swan was found in Lower Croft Lodges in Walshaw and reported to the wildlife rescue.

Volunteer Patrick Jackson said the swan was "very lucky" as they often need to be taken to vets under anaesthetic, while this swan was able to immediately return to the wild.

The hook was a big pike lure with a treble barbed hook - carelessly left by an angler.

Patrick said: "We were called out to the site and asked to take the tackle off, which is what we were able to do, before letting it back out into the wild.

"We receive a lot of reports regarding tackle affecting wildlife and in some cases birds have had to be euthanised due to their injuries.

"We try and say to the anglers; 'take your stuff home'. The majority are very sensible but others just aren't and ruin it for the others.

"It's not just tackle though - we have problems with all sorts of litter and equipment that can hurt waterfowl and other animals. Netting can be a big problem for us."

According to the RSPCA's website, fishing litter (including hooks, weights and line) causes injury and death to thousands of wild animals every year.

Hooks can become embedded in - or even pierce - the skin and they can, along with line and weights, be swallowed, causing internal blockages, injury and poisoning.

Line can wrap around an animal, cutting off the blood supply and wildlife entangled in line may suffer a slow death due to starvation.

The RSPCA added that swans are the most common wild bird admitted to their wildlife centres due to fishing litter.

A report for the Environment Agency estimated that they and other groups attend around 3,000 swans injured by fishing litter in Britain each year.

Angling organisations and the Environment Agency have produced codes of practice to encourage responsible behaviour, including properly storing equipment and recycling instead of throwing away.