Joanna and her disabled brother Ralph go to stay with Aunty Nell Bly, their mother's child-hating sister. When they arrive they find her house full to bursting with rescued animals, while Joanna and Ralph have to find themselves a couple of camp beds. The next day, called out rescue a swan with a broken wing, Joanna meets a gorgeous vet's assistant called Mark and falls instantly in love. Over the summer, Joanna and Ralph get to know Mark better and, when Joanna and Aunty Nell Bly go to rescue a pigeon one night, Ralph goes out with the lads. Finally, after building up a relationship with the swan, Joanna knows they must release him back into the wild, but now she has the comfort of her new boyfriend, Mark.