TWO new Black Swan cygnets have hatched in Dawlish.

The fluffy offspring of swan couple Rosie and Bluey appeared from their shells last week and have already taken to the water.

Big brother Hope, born earlier this year, is also helping out with parenting duties.

The couple’s nesting site had been raised and protected from the water in the Brook this summer by volunteers from WADE Waterways Around Dawlish Environment.

Meanwhile, the other swan couple Bert and Kimba are sitting on a nest of seven eggs which are expected to hatch within days.

Their nest at Tuck’s Plot is on a man made island and well above the water level.

The new arrivals came as Teignbridge Council announced measures to control and reduce the number of rats in the area.

To help, people are being asked not to throw food on or around the nests as this will encourage rats and put the new cygnets in danger.

Signs are in place asking the public not to leave food out for the swans.

The town’s waterfowl wardens are feeding the birds in a controlled way to keep waste to a minimum and make the rat control measures as effective as possible.

Ahead of the new cygnets arriving, some of the juvenile Black Swans have recently been rehomed.

With so many eggs hatched and due to hatch, it was decided to rehome some of the juveniles to a new location to prevent overcrowding on the Brook and territorial conflict.

The rehoming was considered the best option to give the two couples space to rear the next cygnets.

Hope, who is the sole survivor of Bluey and Rosie's clutch in June, has been tested and it has been confirmed he is male.

Four juvenile swans were the first to be rehomed several weeks ago and one had been moved earlier.

The five hatched over the Easter weekend at the beginning of April.