This is the heartwarming moment a swan badly injured after getting tangled up in a poacher's fishing tackle was reunited with its family.
As the Manchester Evening News reported the male swan had to be rescued from a lake in Heywood after a fishing hook became embedded in its tongue and the line wrapped around its neck.
It was rescued by volunteers from the Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue Hospital , firefighters and RSPCA staff before being nursed back to health.
And now it's been reunited with its partner and their two cygnets at the lake in Queen's Park, in a uplifting moment captured on video by Shell Worthington.
It shows the swan being released onto the water, as its family watch on from the opposite bank.
Seemingly recognising its partner the female swan and the two cygnets can be seen waddling into the lake before they paddle over to the dad swim off together.
Shell shared the footage on Facebook where its been watched hundreds of times.
And some social media wags joked the dad might have 'got in it the neck' for deserting his family.
Jason Tyler wrote: "I bet he got it in the neck off Mrs Swan, “where have you been all this time, galavanting about while I’ve been here watching the kids”.
"Mr Swan turns round and says, “sanctuary, sanctuary, take me back to the sanctuary”
"Well done all for returning this beautiful bird back to his family."
And Kelly Flanagan posted: "Aww brilliant. Shes like now yr back you can have the kids. Amazing."
The injured swan was discovered earlier this month by dog-walker Kate Read who reporteds it to the RSPCA.
In a post on Facebook the YSWRH, based near near York, explained the extent of its injuries.
They wrote: "The swan was found with a hook and line caught around his tongue, causing terrible injuries and ulcerations.
"The injuries are responding well to treatment and already the bird is looking much brighter.
"The tackle was later found to have been illegally set by poachers targeting fish, and has since been reported to the relevant authorities."
