Southwater woman in plea to the Queen: ‘Help save our swans’

The swan was killed in the village’s country park - and another injured - earlier this summer.

Amanda Botting was so incensed by the shootings she started a petition calling on Horsham District Council, which owns the park, to remove fencing around the park’s beach area which it was feared was ‘trapping’ the birds in a small area.

Thousands of local residents have backed the petition and now Amanda is writing to the Queen outlining what has happened.

“These birds belong to us as a community but they are also protected by the Queen,” said Amanda.

She has also written to Horsham MP Jeremy Quin and local councillor Nigel Jupp.

“The royal family have been protecting unmarked mute swans like our swans since the 12th century,” she said.

“Let’s keep up the good work.The Queen is fully invested in her plight and she gets hands on. Let us do the same to safeguard the swans of the Southwater Country Park.”

She said removing the fencing and gates at the park’s beach area would cut the swans’ travel time dramatically “keeping them safer and the public safer and the cygnets that can’t fly safer.

“Next year there will be a new batch of beautiful cygnets for us to love and watch for the whole summer long, so let’s try and make it right and better for them.”

See the petition here https://www.change.org/p/horsham-district-council-save-the-swans-remove-the-gate