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A resident living along the Royal Canal in north Dublin has shared their horror at the conditions along the route after a number of baby cygnets were killed by a group of thugs.

Eight cygnets were born to a pair of swans just under a month ago and within 24 hours of being born, four of them were killed by a group of teenagers.

The resident, who frequents the strip between Phibsborough and Dorset Street on a daily basis, also said that life-saving equipment along the canal is destroyed and illegal dumping is rampant.

(Image: Dublin Live)

Pictures shared with Dublin Live show make-shift beds underneath trees along the route, as well as piles of rubbish on the flood lock gates.

The resident told Dublin Live: "Only three weeks ago a pair of swans hatched eight gorgeous cygnets. On that same day, when they were literally fresh out of the egg, a gang of boys who hang around that strip of canal, aged about 14, killed four of these babies.

"A neighbour showed me a photo of the aftermath and told me she heard the mother swan going crazy.

"I am utterly heartbroken about this."

(Image: Dublin Live)

The resident is now calling on local councillors to push the council to put CCTV along the route, and for more policing in the area.

They contintued: "Every day they [the group] unleash the lifebuoys and just throw them around the place so if someone was actually drowning they wouldn't be able to access a lifebuoy.

(Image: Dublin Live)

"There are also so many people who constantly litter along the strip and yesterday one of them just threw an empty can of beer at a swan's head right in front of my face.

"Something needs to happen before more wildlife gets killed or someone drowns because of these people who don't care about their actions. The amount of litter as well is awful."

(Image: Dublin Live)

Last December, a clean-up operation took place along the canal near Binns Bridge in Drumcondra after a number of homeless people had set up tents in the area.

A total of 31 complaints were submitted to Waterways Ireland about the issue, including complaints about drug dealing, intimidation, threats of violence and public defecation.

Locals wrote to Waterways Ireland expressing concerns about the rubbish, dirt, and rats that the presence of the tents attracted.