German police take jaywalking swan family under their wing

Police embarked on an unusual traffic operation after a family of swans risked their necks in traffic in the eastern German state of Saxony.

Residents and road users reported the two adult and five young birds exploring some of the busier streets of the town of Limbach-Oberfrohna.

What was the problem?

The swans nested down by a pond near the edge of town and, before long, the parents had started to check out the neighborhood with their cygnets.

Unfortunately, the birds chose some of the town's busiest streets and started to ruffle the feathers of other road users.

"They kept wandering around to explore the area," the Zwickau police department said on Sunday. "In doing so, they caused one or two traffic obstructions. With a lot of patience and sensitivity, our colleagues kept directing the animals back to their home territory."

However, police warned they might be forced to swoop in more firmly if the family keeps causing trouble.

"If the disturbances do not stop, the possibility of organizing a longer-term relocation to a less busy area will be considered," the police statement cautioned.

It's not the first time swans have caused a headache for emergency services in Limbach-Oberfrohna.

In 2015 firefighters came to a rescue when a pair of swan parents and their four nestlings waddled onto the A4 autobahn just outside the town.

Police did not indicate if the adult birds prompting the latest string of complaints might have been repeat offenders.