A BIRD lover is to write to the Queen in a desperate quest to have a swans’ nest in Darlington protected from vandals.

David Reid said that, for the past three years, the nest near the town centre has been a target for attacks.

The swans usually lay six or seven eggs, and last year a chick was hatched, but no cygnet ever survives.

Rocks and stones have already been hurled at the nest this spring and Mr Reid is seeking action to prevent the same thing happening next year.

He believes the island where the birds make their nest should be removed so they can build in a safer spot.

“I regularly visit the swans to keep an eye on them,” he said.

“For the last three seasons, they’ve had good clutches of eggs, but each year slowly the eggs disappear.

“This year, somebody’s thrown a stone the size of a bag of sugar on to the nest. It hasn’t hit any of the eggs, and it’s landed on the rim of the nest, but it’s so close, it’s unbelievable.”

Mr Reid said he had contacted the police, who said they would patrol the area, but he feels the best solution would be to remove the island.

Swans mate for life and all unmarked swans are the property of the Crown, which is why Mr Reid will write to the Queen.

After a visit by an Environment Agency officer on Wednesday, a spokesman said: “We would not clear this island because it is established and is not deemed to cause a risk of flooding.”

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said it had contacted the RSPB and RSPCA to determine the best course of action.