Real-life Hot Fuzz? Police track down stolen swan and give it a ride home

Hot Fuzz recreated in Plymouth as cops chase down swan

The poor swan was kidnapped from Plymouth harbour by a drunk man (Picture: Plymouth Police/Twitter)

Hot Fuzz has a lot to answer for in the world of local journalism.

Ever since it came out in 2007, it’s been nigh on impossible to not mention the iconic film whenever police are involved with a swan in real life.

If you don’t believe us, just look at some of the interactions they’ve had over the last 16 years. And as rule-abiding journalists, this one will be no different.

A swan in Plymouth had the misfortune of meeting a drunk man who attempted to take it from the harbour last night.

The poor bird was then involved in some kind of collision before police found it. They dutifully delivered the swan to a vet who is now nursing it back to health.

Devon and Cornwall Police, clearly operating under the same film-referencing laws as reporters, seized the opportunity to joke about ‘Hot Fuzz in reality’.

They also jibed the swan was ‘not their usual prisoner’ before quoting the iconic line: ‘It’s just the one swan.’

For anyone who hasn’t watched the film (how?!), the scene alludes to Constable Nicholas Angel, played by Simon Pegg, tracking down an escaped swan with his hapless sidekick PC Danny Butterman.

They take the search very seriously, interviewing witnesses and taking descriptions, before later finding it in the middle of a hot pursuit.

It was placed in the back of the police car and looked ‘about two-feet tall, long, slender neck, with a kinda orange and black bill’.

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source: sky.com