New mother goose tied up in fishing line rescued by volunteers in Dartford using swan ambulance

• Watch: Dartford Animal Rescue team rescue Elena Egyptian Goose

A group of animal rescue volunteers have rescued an Egyptian Goose that needed treatment on a lake in Dartford.

The team at Dartford Animal Rescue checked on Elena the goose every day for three weeks to build her trust.

Elena needed treatment as her feet were cut from being tangled in a tight fishing line and she was on high alert being the only bird on Brooklands Lake with babies.

But volunteers Ciara O'Hare, Rosie O'Hare and Calum Laws were finding it tough to get close enough to catch her by hand.

The team say lots of people walk around the area and spotted the bird in distress, which left her on guard from the day her feet got entangled.

Ciara, the founder of Dartford Animal Rescue Team (DART) told ITV Meridian: "Many well-meaning, and a few not well-meaning, people tried to catch her but without the experience required, the result was just her becoming very very scared and even harder for us at the Dartford Animal Rescue Team to help."

After days of unsuccessful efforts the team called in the help of Danni Rogers, a Swan Sanctuary volunteer.

Danni has a specialist 'swan ambulance kit' that DART do not have the funds for, which is used for rescuing and treating injured birds.

Even with Danni's equipment, their first try on Sunday 3 March was unsuccessful because the kit malfunctioned.

But the team were successful on their second try yesterday (Wednesday 6 March), with Danni jumping into the water and swimming back to the bank with Elena strapped to his chest.

The rest of the group cleaned her wounds and freed her from the fishing line.

Ciara said: "We are happy to report that Elena will make a full recovery, as will Danni from his plunge in to the cold lake."

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