A HERO hound helped rescue a swan from being killed by foxes after it became stranded on a busy Greenock street.

Brave beagle Alfie protected the bird after it got lost in Finnart Street on Monday night.

The seven-year-old rescue dog, who was wearing a bright high-vis vest, helped move the swan away from the middle of the road until bird experts arrived.

Alfie’s owner, Sharon Mackenzie, from Greenock, said the rescue was a team effort as ‘amazing’ people went out of their way to help but added that her beautiful beagle was the star of the night.

She said: “I was out with my friend walking the dog at about 8.30pm on Monday night.

“When we reached Finnart Street we saw this swan at the side of the road behind a parked car.

“I didn’t have my mobile phone with me so I went up to the house behind the swan and the guy who answered the door said he’d phoned the animal rescue at about 6pm but they hadn’t arrived yet.”

Sharon made her way back home but was still worried about the swan so she jumped in her car and made her way back up to Finnart Street.

She added: “When I got there, a couple had stopped and put on their hazard lights but by this time two foxes had started to circle the swan, which was now in the middle of the road.

“I got Alfie out of the car and he managed to keep the foxes away and he also helped guide the swan back to the side of the road.

“We stood there for about an hour until the swan was collected at the back of 11pm and taken to the animal sanctuary.

“I want to make it clear that rescuing the swan was a team effort thanks to the couple in the car and the guy from the house behind but Alfie was the star of the night.

“It’s nice to see a wee dog making a difference.”

Sharon said she later discovered that the swan had caused quite a stir across Greenock that day.

She added: “The girl who arrived from the rescue charity said she had been out twice that day as the bird had moved from Murdieston Dam and ended up in the middle of Murdieston Street.”

Luckily the swan was found to be uninjured following its troubles.