Busy city road comes to standstill as birds cross road...

Swanning around in the road: Feathered family stop the traffic after taking a rest on the Tarmac

Last updated at 12:29 PM on 31st May 2011

• Busy city dual carriageway brought to a standstill
• Birds eventually lifted out of the traffic as drivers get angry

How does the swan cross the dual carriageway? Answer: very, very carefully and very, very slowly.

This family of swans brought traffic to a standstill when they decided to take a short cut across a main city centre road.

And despite wellwishers trying to lure mum, dad and their five cygnets across the busy road to safety they steadfastly refused to budge halfway into their crossing, sparking traffic mayhem.

Swanning along: This family of swans crossed the B4148 in the Erdington area of Birmingham when they decided to move from a nature reserve to the public park

Move along please: Well wishers try to move the birds along as cars snarl up on the daul carriageway at Erdington in Birmingham

The fluffy family made their way across the busy B4148 after they decided to relocate from Plantsbrook Nature Reserve to Pype Hayes Park.

But instead of making a beeline for their new home they stopped on the tarmac several times before moving on to the central reservation at Eachelhurst Road.

It was only after they had kept the traffic waiting for them to waddle on that passers-by were forced to take matters into their own hands.

Right wait here, I'll be back: The family stop mid crossing slap by the white lines in the middle of the road on the B4148 in Birmingham

Sandra Lee, 63, and her husband Michael, 71, of Erdington, Birmingham, tried to lure the birds across the road with bread and said drivers became frustrated and annoyed by the mounting delay.

Traffic was at a standstill on both lanes for more than ten minutes while the birds were encouraged to move.

Sandra said: 'We discovered the swans on the edge of the pavement. At first it looked like just the two of them but when the mother moved slightly, the babies came out from under her feathers.

'We knew they were trying to relocate because the same thing happened last year.

'The male decided to begin crossing the carriageway and watched the traffic, he went a yard or so then stopped and the female followed and then the cygnets but they kept stopping, so the traffic had to come to a standstill.'

When the birds were prompted to move with bread they would simply stick out their necks to grab it without moving forward, Sandra added.

Need a hand? The birds are moved by well wishers after they stop traffic as they tried to cross the busy dual carriageway in Erdington, Birmingham

And she said: 'They eventually got to the central reservation before stopping again but before long there were long queues and motorists began to get agitated.

'By lunchtime two lanes of traffic were backed up to the Bagot Arms pub on Chester Road, Birmingham.

'People were getting annoyed because they didn't know what was going on.

'So in the end we had to do something.'

The crowd of bystanders then picked up the birds and moved them from the road and closer to their destination.

Sandra said: 'We grabbed the male swan by the neck and dragged him. The female put up more of a fight, flapping about and making lots of noise.

'We then scooped up the cygnets and took them to the side where were safe and waddled off quite happily.'

Swans, the largest of the duck family, are said to mate for life, though 'divorces' have been known when there has been a nesting failure, while the number of eggs in each 'clutch' can range from three to eight.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1392694/Swanning-road-Feathered-family-stop-traffic-taking-rest-Tarmac.html#ixzz1NvvyCwgx