A summer rise in reports of animals injured by discarded fishing litter - including 22 incidents in Cambridgeshire - has prompted the RSPCA to issue a warning to new and inexperienced anglers.

It comes as the number of calls last year to the charity reporting wildlife injured by angling litter (such as old fishing line, weights and barbed hooks) almost doubled over the summer, rocketing by 97 per cent, with 186 reports in July compared to 94 in January. 

RSPCA senior scientific officer Evie Button said: “This seasonal, summer leap is a real cause for concern.

“Animals like swans, geese and even hedgehogs are swallowing lethal fish hooks or piercing their beaks, or their wings or legs are getting tangled up in fishing line.

The Hunts Post: Canada Goose litter rescue Canada Goose litter rescue (Image: RSPCA)

“They’re suffering all sorts of awful injuries, sometimes with tragic consequences.

“Our inspectors and officers are working hard to rescue as many of these stricken animals as they can.

“Thankfully, many can be saved but they may require a lot of care, treatment and rehabilitation.

“Others aren’t so lucky and sometimes their injuries are just too severe for them to survive.”

The RSPCA is urging all anglers to follow the Angling Trust’s Take 5 campaign and make use of the recycling scheme to dispose of waste tackle and line.

● Take old fishing line and spools to recycling points in local tackle shops or fisheries. Your nearest recycling point can be found on the Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme (ANLRS) website. Alternatively, old fishing line can be posted to the address on the ANLRS page.

● Be aware of surrounding trees – discarded line caught in foliage causes problems for wildlife.

● Don’t leave bait unattended – always remove it from the hook and put it in a safe place.

● Use a reusable bait container. Don’t take bait in tins.

● Dispose of any litter you see, even if it’s not your own.