Newborn cygnet dies after being ‘deliberately’ kicked by jogger in London park

A newborn swan has died after a man “deliberately” kicked it while jogging through a London park because he “couldn’t be bothered to run around it”.

Police said the man, thought to be in his 60s, kicked two cygnets while running near the Pen Ponds in Richmond Park, southwest London, at around 5.30pm on Monday.

One of the birds managed to escape to the water but the other one sustained “severe” injuries and died on Wednesday afternoon, the Met Police’s Royal Parks force said.

“Sadly the cygnet died this afternoon, his injures were too severe,” officers wrote in a statement on Twitter.

“The suspect was seen to kick another cygnet, which thankfully managed to escape to the water.”

The cygnet had been treated by the Swan Sanctuary who said the man kicked the bird because he “couldn’t be bothered” to run around it, without providing further information.

“We are doing all we can but it doesn’t look hopeful.

“Thank goodness there were some kind people who picked him up and reported the incident to the park rangers,” the organisation wrote in a message on Facebook.

A manhunt has been launched to find the jogger, described as a balding 60-year-old white male about 5 ft 6” tall.

He was wearing black running shorts and a vest at the time of the incident, police said.

Londoners expressed their outrage at the heinous attack and called on witnesses to come forward with information on the suspect.

“This is just the most awful thing. How could a person be so cruel and heartless to kill a beautiful creature? Terrible,” one wrote on Twitter.

Another added: “Disgusting, totally senseless, unnecessary cruelty.

“Deliberate killing with intent is murder. No different whether human or non-human animal [sic]. Please help spread the word about his description.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information about the suspect is encouraged to call 07920 586546 and quote the reference number 0705738/20.