DELIGHT at an otter taking residence in the grounds of a 14th century stately home turned to horror when the creature killed one of the hall's prized black swans.

The hungry new arrival feasted on the fish in the moat at Markenfield Hall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, before turning its attention to the beloved pair of black swans, Roland and Sylvia

Roland was killed, leaving his long-term partner alone.

The hall's owners, Lady Deidre and Ian Curteis, were initially puzzled when they discovered a growing number of partially eaten fish around the grounds of the hall – and within days the orchard and fields were littered with them.

Mr Curteis said: “The first thought was a fox, then a rather horrifying thought of mink. All the while the fish were stacking up and all we found was a small number of footprints by the side of the moat."

The mystified owners set up a camera and discovered the moat's newest inhabitant was an otter.

He added: “He has been filmed on numerous occasions, in the orchard, next to the house, and on the water - sleek, graceful and absolutely enormous.”

Sadly, despite the initial enthusiasm for having an otter move in, the animal soon made poor Roland its next meal when fish stocks began to dwindle.

"We were horrified,” said Lady Curteis.

"We have had swans attacked by foxes before and therefore they slept on the water for their own safety - it never occurred to us that an otter would take such a big and powerful bird.

“Sylvia, Roland's surviving partner, has been temporarily removed for her own safety until the otter's food source has dried up and then we believe it will move on.

“Sadly, for the first time ever, there won't be black swans at the hall when we open to the public on Saturday, April 30."

The hall is making the most of the otter’s stay by encouraging visitors to try and catch a glimpse of the endangered mammal while on the Moat Walk, and will be displaying images and facts about otters.

Markenfield Hall will be open from Saturday, April 30 to Sunday, May 15, and again from June 11 to 26, from 2pm to 5pm each day. Last entry is at 4.30pm.

For further information visit markenfield.com or contact Sarah Robson on info@markenfield.com or 01765-692303.