A FATHER and son had a near escape when a swan flew into electric cables and electrocuted itself.

Deaglan Forkin, two, and his father, Sean, 31, of Rockcliffe Street, Blackburn, had gone shopping to MFI on the Whitebirk Industrial estate when they got out of the car and were nearly hit by the falling bird.

Mum Elaine Logan, 31, said they were shocked by the incident when they realised what had happened.

She said: "We were getting out of the car and heard this really loud noise.

"All of a sudden a swan just fell out of the sky and just missed my son and husband."

Elaine said Sean went back to the furniture store the next morning to see if the bird was all right but unfortunately staff at the store said it died straight away.

The RSPCA told workers to see if the dead animal had been ringed but it had not, so environmental health officers came to collect it.

A spokesman for MFI said: "It was quite a big bird but we couldn't tell whether it was an adult or a young one.

"It seemed to have hit the overhead wires and electrocuted itself. It's really sad."