ANIMAL welfare workers in the North-East believe someone could be deliberately targeting a colony of swans with deadly lead powder.

They fear one of County Durham's largest colonies could be wiped out after a spate of deliberate poisonings.

The group of about 130 swans and cygnets on the River Wear at Chester-le-Street has been reduced to less than 80 since Christmas, with a further four deaths of the weekend.

Post-mortem examinations have revealed all the dead birds were poisoned with lead, most likely to be in probably in powder form.

Linda Charlton, of the Swans Trust, said: "All the tests have shown the dead birds had lead poisoning, but the ducks and fish have not been affected.

"The Environment Agency have also done their own tests on the water and they have come back clear.

"I've been working with swans for 20 years and I've never seen deaths like this on this scale before.

"We have to reluctantly accept that this is deliberate poisoning and the swans are being targeted."

A number of birds, some which have gone blind, are still being treated by vets.

RSPCA inspector Jaqui Miller said: "We are working closely with the police to try and discover exactly what's happening.

"Patrols in the area have been increased in the hope whoever is doing this will stop or we catch those responsible."