Homesick boars paddle a mile across the sea

Pigs can't fly - but this pair of homesick Tamworth boar crosses can certainly swim. They took to the water like pigs to mud after they were put out to pasture on the uninhabited island of Longa off the North West Scottish coast. Named Mary and Truffle by their owner, James Cameron was startled to discover they had returned home the day after he left them and their swim across the sea was caught on camera.



Holidaymaker Jay Goss, 31, watched in amazement from his parents' seaside cottage at Big Sands in Wester Ros. At first he thought they were otters but soon realised they had snouts. He said: 'The sea was a mill pond and the two wee chaps swam 1.5km to the mainland. It was incredible. They reached the shore and were shivering and nervous.' He called Mr Cameron to tell him he had the two pigs but he thought it was a joke at first.

He said: 'We have six piglets, or weaners, at the moment and we decided to put two of them out to Longa. We normally put sheep over to the island and we thought the pigs would like it. There is plenty of rooting material and fresh water. We put them out at 6pm on the Thursday evening and on Friday about 8pm I got a call to say "Your piglets have just swam back home".



'I thought it was a joke at first and that somebody was pulling my leg because people had been thinking it was quite a story that the pigs were going to Longa. My initial reaction was 'Aye, right'. But it was true. I went down to check for myself and they were just wandering about on the shore, quite happy and none the worse for their swim across the loch. I put them in the trailer and reunited them with the others.' He added: 'I've been talking to people about it and nobody has ever seen pigs swim.'