A swan found floating dead on the River Teifi close to Cardigan Bridge has prompted concerns that bird flu could be having disastrous implications on the local swan population.

Earlier this summer hundreds of dead swans were found on the River Thames and 20 dead swans were found on the River Tees near Stockton.  Closer to home, a large number of dead gulls were found on Aberporth beach.

People are now being urged to remain vigilant for further discoveries of dead swans and other wild birds on the rivers Teifi and Cleddau.

The dead Teifi swan was spotted on Thursday morning floating gently in the water close to the Albion Hotel in Cardigan. People who saw it have stated that there were no obvious signs that any trauma had afflicted the bird.

Ceredigion County Council was informed of the dead swan and officers subsequently removed it from the water for testing.

Meanwile Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has stated that it strongly suspect the deaths of the swans on the River Tees in July were caused by avian botulism, which could have been exacerbated by the recent hot weather.

"We're saddened by the death of any swans and are asking people to take a few precautions,” commented a council spokesperson.

"Obviously, the first is to stay out of the water yourself - we strongly advise this at all times anyway, but this is just another reason to do so, alongside the other dangers like currents and cold water shock.

"If you're walking your dog close to the area where the swans have died, we're advising you to keep them on a short lead and away from the water."

People are also being asked not to feed the swans or any other birds at the site as this may add organic material to the water, which can make the problem worse,and are advised to keep away from any dead or distressed birds which they may find on the river or near the sea.

The Ceredigion public are asked to report any dead wild waterfowl including swans, geese and duck, or other dead wild birds such as gulls or birds of prey to the Defra GB helpline on 03459 335577.

Any dead wild birds discovered in public places in Pembrokeshire should be reported by calling 01437 764551 (or out of hours 0345 601 5522) for Pembrokeshire County Council to arrange their safe collection.

If you find any sick or injured wild birds on public or private land, please contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.