IT took Angel (2) longer to get from her native Bray to Dublin Airport yesterday than it did from Dublin to London. But then she has always known that flying is the only way to travel. That is the problem though. Her right wing is fractured and, according to her vet, Pete Wedderburn, she may never fly again. Except by Cityjet.
Angel is one of the "Bray Swans". They are to be found in Bray harbour, at the mouth of the Dargle river, where locals stop to feed them.
Earlier this week, people noticed that Angel seemed to be out on a limb. She was captured and brought to the Bray Animal Hospital, where Pete Wedderburn put a splint on her wing and contacted Barbara O'Malley, of the BBC's Animal Hospital Live programme, who is from Dublin. She suggested that Angel be brought to the Swan Sanctuary in Surrey, which treats more than 3,000 ill and injured swans each year.
So Pete Wedderburn rang Cityjet. They told him to "bring her right over" and sponsored what may be Angel's last flight. Executive class. Pete and Angel were allocated three seats, two of which were occupied by Angel. She was in a harness "in case she got into a flap".
They left Dublin at 12.25 p.m. and were met on arrival at London City Airport by a "swan ambulance", which took Angel to Surrey. Pete Wedderburn was back in Dublin by 4 p.m.
