The mate of a swan that was killed in Teesside last week has been released back into the water after refusing to leave its partner's side.
The bird was brought to Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary by police last week, after her partner was found dead in Stockton.
Police officers stepped in to help transport both the surviving swan and her deceased mate to the sanctuary so they could stay together.
According Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary, the swan kept returning to the road where her mate was killed in an effort to stay close by - leading to concerns about her safety.
In a Facebook post, the sanctuary said: “A few days ago, we received an urgent call after a swan's mate was tragically killed in Stockton-on-Tees.
“She kept walking back into the road to be with her mate and the police not only brought her, but her deceased mate so she could stay close.”
The swan was taken into the care of the sanctuary. Staff monitored its feeding and general wellbeing and allowed it time to recover from the stress.
Swans form strong pair bonds, so losing a mate often has a significant impact on the surviving bird.
After several days under observation, staff were happy that the bird was healthy and feeding normally and made arrangements to release it back into the wild.
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The swan was released on Wednesday (August 19), onto what the sanctuary describes as a suitable stretch of water close to its home territory.
Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary says the surviving swan's friends were waiting for her nearby.
The charity thanked everyone involved in helping the swan, including members of the public who reported the incident and the police officers safely transported both swans all the way to Whitby.
Bringing the case to a close, the sanctuary said: "Wishing you calmer waters ahead, beautiful girl."