THESE first close up photos show the hours old cygnets which have hatched in Dawlish this morning.

Mum is not letting dad swan Bert near the nest since hatching began but he’s keeping guard around the nesting site at Tuck’s Plot.

The brood began to make their appearance from about 7am today when waterfowl wardens spotted movement on the nest. 

Live camera footage has captured the event and now the fluffy cygnets are more visible. 

So far, it seems there are five or six cygnets.

Viewers have been avidly watching the hatching and have described the new family as ‘adorable’.

This is a welcome boost to the Dawlish blacks swan population, heralding the next generation. 

The parents have been dedicatedly sitting on the nest for many weeks now on the specially created site at Tuck’s Plot which was raised to protect the nest from extreme high water levels. 

The town council has been asking for ideas for names for the cygnets.