SEVEN swans are believed to have been killed on the train line in a York town.

The six almost fully grown cygnets and their mother are thought to have died some time between 4pm on Sunday and 10am today when they got on to the rail tracks behind a house in York Road, Haxby.

Devastated York road resident, David Findlay, said a pair of swans nested on his pond back in March time and had successfully reared seven chicks, but a neighbour told him six of them and their mother had been hit by a train, possibly in the dark after they wandered on to the tracks.

Mr Findlay said: "I have lived here for 50 years and the swans have nested several times over the years. The father and one of the cygnets have survived, but the incident must have been very traumatic for the poor train driver as these were large birds and the cygnets were just about managing to fly.

"It is extremely sad that this has happened and I'd be keen to hear from the driver to find out what happened."