All, this is what the local paper written for the Pigeon People. Prized racing pigeons being slaughtered A Methilhill pigeon fancier fears for the future of the sport after watching killer hawks "maul" his prizes racers. The problem says, Douglas Cunningham of Holly Bank, is now so bad that many people are turning away from pigeon racing rather than watching their doos brutall detroyed. Douglas told the mail that some fanciers could spend upwards of £3000 a year on their hobby, wants stricter controls on the breeding of the sparrow hawks and peregrines he blames for the killings. He added, when ive got the pigeons out in the garden i have to stay with them because they ( the hawks watch and then come down, but when they"re in the air theres nothing i can do. It"s really putting the sport into decline because people can pay hundreds for a pigeon, race it, and then its killed. I"ve never known the problem to be as bad as it is now. Once they"re up in the air the pergerines just get in about them and absolutely maul them, it can be like a massacre at times. The local man, who belongs to the Methilhaven Pigeon Club- a group of around 14 members - added it wasnt just racing birds being picked off by the predators. On a recent visit to Kennoway with his birds, he found a local lady"s doves, which Mr Cunningham believs are kept for weddings and special occasions, had had their rib cage ripped apart" by either the sparrow hawk or peregrines. The pigeon fancier is now also calling on the PUBLIC, to play its part by reporting the findings of any killed pigeons to the RSPB, so the issue is pushed to the fore by the protection agency. Folks the above is what was written by my local paper,thanks to them for there support, so its easy to call your local paper and get something done hopefully for the future of our dying sport. Dougie.