FIVE swans - including four cygnets - which suffered horrific deaths are believed to have been poisoned in the River Colne.

An alert was raised shortly after 6pm on Saturday, when passer-by Becky Bishop spotted the family in difficulty as she made her way from the Hythe to Tesco.

She rang pal Nichola Greatorex, who sprang into action and raced to the scene.

When she arrived, some of swans were struggling to breath and at least one had already died.

All had a white/yellow foam coming from their mouths.

After a call-out on Facebook, a group of helpers turned up in a bid to help the stricken birds.

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But despite their best efforts, at least five died, including what is believed to be the mother.

Mrs Greatorex said: “It was just horrific.

“We managed to scramble down to the embankment to within reach of one them

“As soon as we lifted it out of the water, it took its last breath and died.

“We couldn’t get to the mother as she was too far away and one of the babies was near to her.”

The mum-of-five, who lives off Port Lane, added: “The others seemed to really be struggling. We managed to get to another one but when we pulled it out, unfortunately it died almost straight away.”

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During the drama, the struggling mother came to rest between a barrier and a small boat.

The 44-year-old added: “We tried to get to her but we just couldn’t reach her. We had to watch her drown.”

While the group tried to help the mother, another of the cygnets disappeared. Its body has not been recovered.

But hope of saving one of the birds was raised when the group used a dumped deflated inner tyre tube to drag the bird to safety.

However, despite the best efforts of Penrose Vets, in Brinkley Lane, the bird was put down, having suffered extreme shock.

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Witnesses have since come forward to say the family were all fine during Saturday afternoon, with an amateur photographer snapping a few pictures of them.

Mrs Greatorex said she repeatedly called the Environment Agency, the RSPCA and RSPB but no one turned up either on Saturday or on Sunday.

The swan bodies are now being held by Colchester Council and Penrose Vets.

The mum added: “These swans were failed by everyone.

“Some good must come from this; we have to find out how this happened and why.

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“I believe they were poisoned, either intentionally or unintentionally.

“We have to find out so it does not happen again.”

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: "We have been made aware that some swans have been found dead in the area over the past week and that the RSPCA may have been alerted by a member of the public.

"Based on the information we have this is unlikely to have been caused by a water quality issue as no other species have been reported as being affected.

"The deaths have been reported to DEFRA."

A spokesman for Colchester Borough Council said: “We were very saddened by the death of a family of swans on the River Colne over the weekend, and are grateful for the efforts of members of the public who attempted to save them.

“We have been in contact with both the Environment Agency and Defra, but it is still too early to say how the swans died.

"We may have a clearer understanding after Defra collects three of the birds still in our keeping and is able to conduct further laboratory tests.”