A CHEF at a Hitchin caf� has ruffled a few feathers with her cooking as one of the town’s residents comes back for his breakfast every day – Jim the swan.

Emma White, who has been working at Triangle Cafe in Churchyard for the last five years, is now serving animals as well as humans as ‘Jim’ waddles daily to the entrance near Hitchin war memorial for a morning treat.

The 22-year-old has been mainly feeding Jim bread since the swan started his daily pilgrimage three weeks ago, but has also tried out a few snacks.

Emma said: “He generally comes first thing in the morning and then sometimes he’ll come back again in the evening.

“Last year he started coming with four other swans, but now it’s just him.

“He comes up every day to see me. He’s very friendly and it’s quite a sight to see him and get that close. I named him Jim after my friend!

“I feed him bread as he likes his carbs!”

It is not all plain swimming for Jim though, with Emma adding: “I watched two swans with their babies fighting in the river the other day and he never goes in there any more, so I think he’s been kicked out.

“He just stays in the churchyard and I think he’s quite lonely. It would be great to find him a friend!”

Another swan lover came to the rescue of a drowning bird in Newbury last week by giving it ‘mouth to beak’ at the canalside.

Joanna Harrison, from Baldock, had been visiting friends in the Berkshire town when she noticed a trapped swan had got its head stuck in a canal wall beneath the water’s surface.

Ms Harrison, aided by a passer-by who plunged his arm into the canal, then resuscitated the swan by blowing air into its beak until it recovered.