A HELPLESS swan which was trapped in a frozen lake for two days will be returned to the wild once it gains some weight and gets some well needed rest.

A passerby called the RSPCA for help after spotting the stricken bird at a lake near the Salary Brook trail, in Colchester, on Saturday, reporting that the swan was stuck in the ice by his feathers and could only move his head, burying it in his feathers to keep warm.

Firefighters from Colchester and RSPCA workers flew into rescue the bird from the frozen lake at about 11am.

The used an inflatable floating platform and sled to reach the swan and managed to encourage him out of the ice.

A Colchester forest covered in snow

A Colchester forest covered in snow

As the bird returned to the edge of the lake Amy Marjoram, an RSPCA animal rescue officer, was able to catch and examine him.

She said: “We think the poor bird went out onto the frozen lake, and his body heat then slightly melted the ice.

"As the lake ice re-froze, this caused the feathers of his under-carriage to freeze into the ice, leaving him helpless.

“He’d been there for a couple of days so there was no time to lose."

While the swan had no obvious injuries, he had been stuck for two days and was quite cold.

He was taken to the RSPCA's East Winch Wildlife Centre to be checked over more thoroughly by the team.

The centre staff found that the poor swan was underweight and unable to stand, so he will now stay at the centre until he has put on some weight and got some rest.

Ms Marjorama added: "Once he’s in a better condition, he will be returned to the wild.

“My thanks go to the member of public who reported the plight of this swan, and I’m also hugely grateful to the Essex County Fire and Rescue team, who were absolutely brilliant.

"Without their expertise, it could have been a very different outcome.”

To report concerns about an animal, call the RSPCA’s emergency line on 0300 1234 999.