Injured swans from Earlswood Lakes may be left to die if a nearby swan sanctuary is forced to close.

Swan Lifeline Sanctuary in Outwood currently rescues and treats injured swans from the surrounding area, many of which come from Earlswood Lakes.

Sanctuary volunteer Sylvie Knight said the lakes were notorious for causing injuries to swans.

She said: “It's because of the fishing – people leave hooks and lines lying around.

“The swans go sniffing around and get them stuck into them.” The future of the sanctuary became uncertain in March when the sanctuary's founder Marjorie Unwin, 77, was taken to hospital with septicaemia and a kidney infection.

When she was discharged from hospital Mrs Unwin was moved to a residential care home in East Grinstead where she is still be cared for.

She rented her home, Brownshill Cottage – also the sanctuary – from the National Trust in 1986. The trust agreed for her to have bird housing and paddling ponds on the site.

A National Trust spokesman said this lease was agreed on the basis that “at the end of the tenancy, it would be reinstated to a purely residential property”.

He added: "Therefore, we do not envisage letting the property as a further sanctuary when Mrs Unwin gives up her tenancy.

“There are a number of reasons for this, including animal welfare, environmental health and, over all, the long-term suitability of the property for this purpose.” He said there was no pressure on Mrs Unwin to surrender her tenancy or give up the sanctuary.

But volunteer Ms Knight said it was "devastating" to everyone who worked there.

She said Mrs Unwin loved her swans and that everyone who visited the place fell in love with it.

She added: “This is the only swan sanctuary in this area, so if it goes the injured swans would be left to die.” The volunteers are campaigning to keep the premises in use, whether Mrs Unwin returns to Brownshill Cottage or not.