PICTURES: Two lanes closed on M27 after swan causes traffic chaos

Two lanes were closed on the M27 this morning - after a swan '˜crash landed' on the motorway.
Credit: Highways England/TwitterCredit: Highways England/Twitter
Credit: Highways England/Twitter

Pictures posted online by Highways England show the stubborn bird evading capture by police while forcing traffic to queue on the eastbound route.

Traffic had been building between Junction 9-11 while the swan moved between the on and off-slip road near Fareham.

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Traffic information service ROMANSE tweeted: ‘Swan has now been captured between J11 and J12. 2 lanes blocked and very slow from J8.’

Credit: Highways England/TwitterCredit: Highways England/Twitter
Credit: Highways England/Twitter

BBC Radio Solent reported that the swan had been rescued and moved onto the hard shoulder.

A driver who helped round up the swan told of the dramatic moment it ‘crash landed’ on the motorway.

The motorist, who gave her name as Sarah, told BBC Radio Solent: ‘I was driving on the M27 and saw the swan flying in front of me.

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‘It was only about a foot off the ground - it was a really bizarre sight. Then it just ran out of energy and crash-landed in the middle lane.’

Credit: Highways England/TwitterCredit: Highways England/Twitter
Credit: Highways England/Twitter

Sarah said she got out of her car and guided the swan to the hard shoulder together with another woman who had stopped, who used a scarf to try to control the bird.

‘We kept it on the hard shoulder and then a highways patrol man arrived. He used a fluorescent jacket to keep the swan still and put the scarf around its eyes to keep it calm.

‘The police arrived and one of the officers drove the highways vehicle away with the patrol man sitting in the passenger seat, holding the swan.’