Beeston Regis welcomes 'the Swoose' home

A hybrid bird, known as the Swoose, has returned to its North Norfolk home after it was tracked down to a museum in London. 

The Swoose was hatched at Abbey Farm in Beeston Regis, near Sheringham, on April 10 1911 and was the result of breeding between a swan and a goose.

The Swoose is visiting Beeston Regis (Image: Ayre And Co) The owner of the farm, Mrs. Ann Reynolds, submitted a report of the bird to Country Life magazine and it led to the Swoose attracting the attention of newspapers around the world.

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The Swoose (Image: Ayre And Co)The Daily Mail reported: "A bird prodigy of evil and hybrid character is the despair of a Norfolk farm.

"It rejoices in the name 'Swoose', a portmanteau word indicating its origin, for its father was a swan and its mother was a goose."

The stuffed animal has now been traced and has returned to its coastal home, where it will go on temporary display.

Roy Beckley, vice chairman of Beeston Regis Parish Council, said: "The bird was likely dispatched off because it kept attacking people on the footpath by Abbey farm. 

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"The bird was then stuffed by famous Norwich taxidermist F.E Gunn.

The bird was stuffed by famous taxidermist F.E. Gunn (Image: Ayre And Co)"We don't know where the Swoose has been since 1924.

"We found it had been bought for £8,000 at auction by a man named Viktor Wynd, who runs The Viktor Wynd Museum Of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History in London."

The return of the Swoose comes as Sunday marks the 625th anniversary of the coronation of King Henry IV in Westminster Abbey when Beeston-Next-The-Sea became Beeston Regis. 

There will be a service on Sunday evening at Beeston Regis church. Hymns from 7pm with Pimm's served at 6.15pm and then after the service.

'Swan and Goose hybrid' (Image Ayre And Co)