A swan pictured in the back of a cop car after being ‘arrested’ in scenes reminiscent of Hot Fuzz has been ‘released from custody’ – and returned to the sea.
Police took the stricken bird ‘prisoner’ after it was spotted causing chaos by waddling around a busy road.
It had reportedly pulled from a nearby harbour in Plymouth, Devon, by a drunken male before being involved in a collision two miles away on Mutley Plain.
It was then taken to the vets in the back of the cop car – and has now been ‘released from custody’ and returned to the wild.
Athena Wildlife Care sanctuary released it back into the sea in Plymouth, after it was given the all clear by vets – and it was quickly ‘honking away.”
Lianne Phillips, of the sanctuary said: “As soon as we got to the water, he wouldn’t stop calling out to his mates to say he was home.
“He was in the water within a second of removing the swan wrap, honking away.
“We will be monitoring him over the next few days, but cannot anticipate any problems.”
Before the release, Leanne said on Facebook: “A drunk person decided to pick up a swan and walk from the Barbican/Harbour to Mutley.
“At some point whilst on Mutley, the swan got away from the man, and was hit by a car.
“Someone kindly contacted the police. Unfortunately the drunk person was not in the area when the police arrived.
“They took the bird to the vet, who checked him over and gave me a call.
“When I picked him up he was a feisty so and so. He has a superficial wound on his wing.”
Leanne said the swan was initially “quite stressed” so gave him a full check over but after being fed and watered his condition drastically improved.
The initial viral picture of the swan was published on the Twitter account of Plymouth Police’s D Section, while an officer referenced the classic comedy film starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and described it as “Hot Fuzz in reality.”
Alongside it, a police spokesperson wrote: “Not your usual prisoner.
“Report of a swan being removed from the harbour by a drunk male before it being involved in a collision on Mutley Plain.
“Taken to the vets where they are nursing it back to health.”
The drama was sparked when officers from Devon and Cornwall Police were called to the scene of the collision at 6.20pm on Wednesday (01/02).
The swan was wrapped up to stop it hurting itself before being put in the back of the car.
After the details were posted online, Sandford Police, a parody account for the fictional force from Hot Fuzz, congratulated the team involved.
It said: “Well done team. You may well have prevented anyone coming to serious harm by detaining that rogue swan.”
Plymouth Police responded to say its safe capture took “great skill and determination.”
The post generated hundreds of comments referencing the likeness the Edgar Wright-directed classic.
One observer wrote: “Further confirmation were it needed that Hot Fuzz is actually a documentary.”
