THE swan population on the River Thames is increasing despite fears that the recent floods could see their numbers drop.

David Barber, the Queen's Swan Marker, had warned that the floods and an increase in reports of people attacking cygnets would affect numbers.

After a week of Swan Upping,the annual swan census on the Thames, Mr Barber said the cygnet population was 132, an increase of 18 on last year.

He said: "We thought it would be down but, in fact, the population has gone up slightly."

An estimated 1,000 to 1,200 adult swans live on the Thames, but conditions for breeding seemed to be better up river, said Mr Barber.

He added: "There is more vandalism and fishing down river between Sunbury and Marlow, and the natural habitat is not so good."

The number of cygnets has fallen by 18 per cent down river. Although this fall was compensated by an increase in cygnets up river, from Marlow to Abingdon, the fledglings were smaller in July than previous years. The flooding during the year washed away a lot of nests and the swans had to build new nests, said Mr Barber.

He said: "Consequently, the cygnets are smaller but quite healthy but will take longer to develop."

Swan Upping dates from the 12th century. In medieval times the Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans as a means of protecting the population which was then regarded as a freely-available luxury food source.

Today the Crown retains the right to ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water but The Queen exercises her ownership only on certain stretches of the Thames.