CLAIMS that thousands of pigeons died during a wash-out centenary race were today dismissed by fanciers patiently awaiting their flocks.

An inquiry will take place on Sunday to decide what went wrong with the Royal Pigeon Racing Society's centenary race amid rumours that as many as 80,000 homing birds drowned, including hundreds from East Lancashire.

Brian Tattersall, chairman of the Blackburn and District Federation of Homing Societies, has still not welcomed any of his birds back.

But he said: "I am confident that they will have stopped off somewhere and will be back eventually.

"Many of them could still be in France but claims that thousands have died are rubbish."

The race had been due to begin at 6.30am on Saturday but eventually started at 6.30pm on Sunday after the Meteorological Office gave organisers the all-clear.

But the pigeons, including some of the Queen's, flew into problems almost immediately after being released from Nantes, in France.

Birds in a Scottish race which left northern France half an hour earlier also flew into problems.

Mr Tattersall, who has a loft in Haslingden Old Road, Oswaldtwistle, said the inquiry would centre on the decision to liberate the birds.

He added: "The Midlands National Flying Club had overall control but each regional organisation had their own conveyor. They all agreed to go at the same time."

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