A pair of swans facing the death penalty for straying across a flight path will be saved if airport bosses can agree on an alternative to shooting them.

Managers at Shoreham airport have promised to discuss a way out of using their shoot-to-kill licence.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) issued the licence following a run of near-misses.

It allows the airport's pest control team to shoot the birds if they fly across airport land.

But airport managers will now thrash out plans for a more humane solution for the swans, which are believed to be a mating pair.

They will hold talks with representatives from Defra and members of the National Swan Sanctuary on Monday.

Moving the birds out of the area is one option.

Bob Carden, Adur district councillor and member of the airport's management committee, said: "I will do all I can do to ensure no loss of life on the part of the wildlife."

However, he said the committee had to find a way of ensuring the safety of pilots.

The issuing of the licence enraged animal welfare groups, who said there was no proof the swans for whom it was meant were the same pair that had repeatedly flown in front of planes.

They fear there could be many more swans in the area which would continue to fly across airport land even if the managers gave the go-ahead to shoot two of them.

They wanted airport staff to prove they could recognise the two swans guilty of endangering pilots.

Swan sanctuary founder Dorothy Beeson said: "I believe it's doubtful it is the same pair.

"There are a lot of swans in that area and have been for the past 50 or 60 years.

"We're keeping an open mind until we can get round the table and talk about it. We cannot entertain the other option."

The swans' nesting ground is on Sibella Pannell's five-acre property off Old Salts Farm Road, in Lancing, west of the airport.

She says a variety of birds invade the airport's grounds.

She said: "I saw five swans flying across the airport the other night. It's not the same two."

A spokeswoman for Defra last night confirmed the airport and representatives from her department were looking at other methods of stopping the birds straying.

However, she said the licence to shoot the two swans remained in force and could be used if another method could not be agreed on.