A FAMILY of swans was saved from an oil-polluted river as residents in Ringley and wildlife experts waded to the rescue of threatened birds.

The RSPCA was alerted after householders spotted a large spillage in the River Irwell close to their homes in Vale Avenue.

Environment Agency officials believed the oil had not been dumped deliberately, but had filtered into the river from nearby roads after heavy rain.

Mrs Judith Smith, the county bird recorder, was called to the river by the RSPCA over fears that a family of swans were in danger.

Volunteers waded into the water to rescue two swans and a cygnet from the oily waters. But they were unable to catch 20 mallard ducks and a goose. Mrs Smith said: "The swans were sent to the RSPCA to be cleaned and looked after. They'll be brought back in a week's time to be released into the river."

Linda Henderson, of Vale Avenue, was one of the first residents to notice the pollution.

She said: "I knocked on doors and got people to ring up and complain as people tend to turn a blind eye and hope the problem will go away.

"It was terrible that these birds could be in danger. The smell of fumes was really strong. It looked like a few drums of petrol or something had been thrown in."

Resident Daniel Lynch said: "We just want this river cleaned up and for someone to take notice and do something about it.

"There were about 10 people who went into the river to capture the swans and the cygnet by putting the birds in straitjackets. The cygnet was in a really bad way."

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "There is no indication that the oil has come from a spillage. It is more likely to have been washed down from nearby roads.

"There have been reports of oil in the water in Radcliffe and Ramsbottom, but there is no other wildlife in danger."

He added: "We take problems of pollution very seriously and we are keeping an eye on the situation."