Cute cygnets born at Whittington Castle
It was touch and go whether Beatrice the swan would become a mum this year.
With her partner Benedict missing, the swan cut a lonely path across the moat at Whittington Castle.
But just as it was feared the spring mating season was over, a male swan arrived at the historic castle and immediately bonded with Beatrice.
The result was a clutch of eggs with at least three cygnets now hatched and Beatrice lovingly tending them on her nest close to the main road through the village near Oswestry.
The male, christened Sir Tom in a poll of castle supporters, watches on from his vantage point across the other side of the moat.
Castle manager, Sue Ellis, said she was delighted for the pair.
"Beatrice and her brood are certainly attracting lots of attention," she said.
"Visitors can come and see them and the rest of the wildlife and enjoy something to eat or drink from Castle and the Kitchen."
Those who can't get to the castle can see the family thanks to special CCTV cameras that were put up to prevent the nest being vandalised.
The cameras mean that the pictures can be live streamed via www.whittingtoncastle.co.uk/swan-watch-live-cam-2.
A crowdfunding scheme helped to pay for the cameras after vandals smashed up the nest and the eggs in an attack in 2019.
