About 200 swans in a flock on the River Orwell at Ipswich rely on Pauls Maltings for food - they have done for more than 100 years.

It is feared there will not be enough food in the river to support them when the factory shuts and their daily meal of grain ends.

An appeal has gone out for sponsors to pay �6 a day for feed and a team of volunteers to distribute it.

"If their food source isn't replaced, the swans gradually will lose their body weight, become ill and die," said swan volunteer Alex Smith.