Scottish bird-flu swan found a week ago

The swan feared to have died of the deadly strain of bird flu in Scotland was found more than a week ago on a harbour slipway, it emerged today.

Tests were being carried out today on the dead bird, which was discovered in the village of Cellardyke in Fife.

The swan has tested positive for the “highly pathogenic H5 avian flu” and it will be confirmed today if it had the deadly H5N1 strain, which can be fatal to humans.

Checkpoints remained in place this morning on roads leading out of the village, with officers ensuring any vehicle containing poultry or poultry products did not leave the area.

Speaking at the harbour in Cellardyke where the bird was found, Sergeant Martin Johncock, of Fife Police, said the decomposed body of the bird had been taken away for tests last Wednesday.

“At the moment we have a three-kilometre exclusion zone around Cellardyke Harbour.

“We are stopping vehicles which could be used to carry any form of poultry or poultry products such as eggs, which could potentially come from infected birds within the area.

“There are no large bird-rearing areas or anything similar in this particular area but we are just making sure that everything just stays confined until we hear the results of the tests.

“Hopefully those results will emerge today, but that is a matter for Defra.”