Drivers faced unusual delays on a Whitehaven street.

Motorists navigating Mirehouse Road today found themselves held up due to a family of swans who had decided to have a brief sit down on the carriageway.

Cumbria County Council's highways department was alerted to the problem by a concerned member of the public who had been caught in the hold up.

A council spokesman said highways staff did not need to take any action and people at the scene helped escort the two adult swans and three cygnets to safety so traffic could move.