TWO POLICEMEN in Northern Ireland were led on an almost literal wild goose chase on Friday as they were called to escort a swan back to water.
The PSNI Officers were called to the Antrim Road in Belfast following reports of a swan wandering the busy roads, and in a scene which will be very familiar to fans of the film Hot Fuzz, put their training to the test as they led the swan through the streets towards home.
The brilliant footage, showing a rainy day in Belfast, was captured by local woman Sinéad Mackie and spread like wildfire on social media, where thousands of people watched in awe of the audacity-- or should we say 'the neck'-- of the swan, who is taking everything in its stride.
A swan escaping from the waterworks and being walked back down the Antrim Rd by 2 policemen is the content I want to see on a Friday. pic.twitter.com/DYs1RFDiGu
— Aidan Torbitt (@AidanTorbitt) February 28, 2020
A PSNI spokesperson spoke of the incident in a statement, where they said:
"Police in North Belfast have safely returned a swan to the pond in the Waterworks, Antrim Road, Belfast at around 11:40am today (Friday 28th February).
"The swan in question was posing risk to itself and road users on the Antrim Road. Highly trained officers were able coax the swan onto the footpath, they then walked the swan back to the waterworks."
They even got involved with a few perfecftly placed puns of their own, writing:
"The swan was unharmed by the ordeal however it's presence on a main road ruffled a few feathers.
"Officers involved praised locals for keeping a birds eye view on the incident.
"We are glad the swan returned to the waterworks safely and avoided falling fowl of the law."
See More: Northern Ireland, PSNI, Swan
