The excellent letter published the same day as Coun Green's from Murray Hume and Kevin McIntyre of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue And Ambulance Service more than adequately answered his criticisms regarding the swans' removal to a place of safety.

Unlike Coun Green, none of the correspondents in support of the move has resorted to criticism of any wildlife rescue organisation or cast any doubt on the excellent work that Wadars does.

While Coun Green states that Billy Elliott and the manager of Dinnages observed the cygnets the day before "getting in and out of the water quite happily", much can happen in 24, or even 12, hours to change a situation into a life-threatening emergency.

In the time between these observations and the rescue, the birds had become covered in mud and had started to become waterlogged.

Observation, assessment and decision-making is crucial to wildlife rescue and the Egham Swan Sanctuary had up-to-theminute information from Trevor Weeks.

The swans - or other swans - may very well return in future years.

Perhaps, by then, Coun Green will put their welfare first and have the decency to acknowledge an emergency rescue and have contingency plans in place to ensure their environment is as safe a place as possible from the outset.

-Sam Rulim, Brighton