THE arrival of Abbotsbury Swannery’s first cygnet of the year is supposed to signal the start of summer.

And even heavy rain showers could not stop the excitement of the reserve’s staff as 2012’s first baby swans were born.

An egg in a nest, close to the Fleet Lagoon, hatched on Friday afternoon and four more followed.

Steve Groves, deputy swanherd at Abbotsbury, said: “We’ve got five out and there’s another one to go, plus two or three more nests that are expected to hatch early next week.

“She’s keeping them all cosy, tucked away in the nest, as it’s so cold.”

The swans return annually to Abbotsbury to raise their young. The cygnets will hatch over the next six weeks and visitors can walk among the nests.

According to the Benedictine monks who tended the swans 600 years ago, the first cygnet marks the beginning of summer. To find out more visit abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk