Feeding the ducks bread, once a beloved tradition for many families, has in recent years become a guilty pleasure as campaigners warn it is not a healthy food for the birds.

Now, the Queen's swan guard has warned that campaign has caused swans to starve as people have stopped feeding them at all.

"Bin the Bread" was a highly successful campaign, officially launched by rescue charity Swan Lifeline, but the man charged with looking after the Queen's swans has said it did more harm than good.

The Queen's Swan Marker David Barber, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, said there is "no good reason" not to feed the swans bread and that many are underweight as a result of the ban.

Mr Barber added that they are put at further risk by wandering on to roads in search of food.

Mr Barber said the coverage of the campaign has been inaccurate and "confusing" for the public.

He added: "Supporters of the campaign claim that bread should not be fed to swans on the grounds that it is bad for them. This is not correct.

"Swans have been fed bread for many hundreds of years without causing any ill effects.

"While bread may not be the best dietary option for swans compared to their natural food such as river weed, it has become a very important source of energy for them, supplementing their natural diet and helping them to survive the cold winter months when vegetation is very scarce.