Police recreated scenes from Hot Fuzz by 'arresting' a swan before taking it away in the back of a cop car. The image shows the stricken bird being taken 'prisoner' after it caused chaos while waddling around a busy road.
Police say it was pulled from a nearby harbour in Plymouth, Devon, by a drunken male before being involved in a collision on Mutley Plain. After its ride in the back of the liveried vehicle to vets, the swan was checked over and is now being nursed back to full health.
The picture was published on the Twitter account of Plymouth Police's D Section, while an officer referenced the classic comedy film starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and described it as "Hot Fuzz in reality." Alongside it, a police spokesperson wrote: "Not your usual prisoner.
"Report of a swan being removed from the harbour by a drunk male before it being involved in a collision on Mutley Plain. Taken to the vets where they are nursing it back to health."
The drama was sparked when officers from Devon and Cornwall Police were called to the scene of the collision at 6.20pm on Wednesday. The swan was wrapped up to stop it hurting itself before being put in the back of the car.
After the details were posted online, Sandford Police, a parody account for the fictional force from Hot Fuzz, congratulated the team involved. It said: "Well done team. You may well have prevented anyone coming to serious harm by detaining that rogue swan."
Plymouth Police responded to say its safe capture took "great skill and determination." The officer also referenced the famous joke from the film and added: "It's just the one swan then."
In an official statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police were called at 6.20pm yesterday to Mutley Plain following reports that a swan had been removed from the harbour by a man, who had left the area prior to police arrival. It was reported that the swan had possibly been hit by a vehicle. Members of the public had wrapped a blanket around it and called the vets. It was taken to the vets by officers and left in their care."
The post generated hundreds of comments referencing the likeness the Edgar Wright-directed classic. One observer wrote: "Further confirmation were it needed that Hot Fuzz is actually a documentary."
