Watching the birdies

BY LAURA HANNAM

pigeon race

Five hundred pigeons flew across the heads of onlookers as a race was launched at Campbell Park.

The birds' release was watched by a crowd of people on Saturday morning as part of the Pigeon Archive Exhibition, currently at Milton Keynes Gallery.

The pigeons flew across the city centre before journeying around 80 miles back to their home in north Nottingham.

The winner took one hour and 32 minutes to reach home.

Artist Lyndall Phelps organised the race to coincide with her exhibition, which documents the re-enactment of pigeon manoeuvres undertaken during the First and Second World Wars, through photographs, film and other paraphernalia.

She said: "The race is very important as the exhibition focuses on the history of how pigeons were used in war and I was very keen that the Pigeon Archive also look at how pigeons are used today.

"Pigeon racing is a fantastic sport. The excitement on everybody's faces when they came out was enough to say that they had really enjoyed it."

Video cameras were attached to three Milton Keynes-based birds and a birds-eye view of the city during their travels will be on show on a large plasma screen TV at the exhibition.

The Pigeon Archive, which will be at Milton Keynes Gallery until August 30, features photographs capturing pigeons in flight wearing cardboard tube message carriers on their back and also descending through the air, bound and attached to parachutes.

Free admission. Open Tues - Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 11am - 5pm, Thurs open late until 8pm. For information call 01908 676 900 or visit www.mk-g.org.