Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue say they have ‘stepped back’ from trying to capture the birds which have ‘cleaned themselves up surprisingly well’
15:12, 05 Apr 2026Updated 15:17, 05 Apr 2026
The swans as they were on March 24 when the oil spillage was reported at Cleethorpes Country Park(Image: Donna Clifford/Grimsby Live)
Wildlife rescuers have decided to “step back” from trying to capture two swans recently affected by an oil spill. The situation at Cleethorpes Country Park initially sparked outrage last month and led to intensive efforts to secure the birds.
However, rescuers have now confirmed a change in strategy, saying: “As some of you who visit the park regularly may have noticed, we have stepped back from active capture attempts for the two swans that were affected by oil, and have returned to a monitoring approach for the time being.”
It comes after the community rallied around the birds following what was described as a “frankly unacceptable” act of environmental neglect. The incident was originally reported to North East Lincolnshire Council on March 24.
Rescuers says the birds have shown remarkable resilience in the face of the contamination. They said: “This decision has been made carefully, taking into account a number of factors.
“Both swans have managed to clean themselves up surprisingly well, and at present their health does not appear to have been affected. We will, of course, continue to keep a close eye on this.”
The swans are also “now nesting and have eggs which they are actively tending to”. The wildlife rescue says they wouldn’t be able to take the eggs with them if the birds were captured. They added: “Furthermore, considering that capture attempts have proven unsuccessful even by species specific swan rescues who came to assist, it is time to step back, and monitor from a distance.
“As always, there are pros and cons to every option, and these are something we assess thoroughly, both in-house and in consultation with specialist rescue organisations. Given that most of the oil has now cleared and the current situation with nesting, we feel that stepping back to monitoring at this time is the most appropriate course of action.”
The group has acknowledged that some remnants of the emergency response are still visible, stating that “we are also aware that some of the absorbent pads used during the initial oil clean-up remain in the lake.” In response, they have “raised this with the relevant authorities and asked for this to be followed up”.
The charity assured the public that the move “does not mean we are stepping away – we are still monitoring closely and will adjust our approach if anything changes.” The team expressed their gratitude for the public’s vigilance, adding: “We understand how much people care about these swans, and we hope this update helps explain our decision-making.”
At the time the incident was reported last month, Cllr Henry Hudson, North East Lincolnshire Council’s portfolio holder for environment and net zero, described the oil contamination as “frankly unacceptable in every sense of the word”. He added: “Not only is this disrespecting the beautiful open spaces that our borough offers, but it’s also putting the animals who live there in danger. If anyone has any information on this incident we would greatly appreciate them coming forward to help resolve the matter.”
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