Discarded fishing equipment is a nightmare and can cause a lot of pain and suffering to wildlife, particularly wildfowl. Lead weights are not used so often these days but they are still found at the bottom of waterways. These are often swallowed and cause poisoning.

Symptoms include weakness, lack of co-ordination and amazing green diarrhoea. If you suspect lead poisoning please take the casualty to a vet, or contact HART Wildlife Rescue 01256 770438 as soon as possible.

If you see a line protruding from a bird’s mouth it is almost certainly attached to a hook. DO NOT PULL IT! And please do not cut off the line; it is often the only way we can locate the hook. Instead tape the line to the bird’s beak and seek veterinary attention as soon as possible, or contact HART Wildlife Rescue 01256 770438.