Flock of racing pigeons hit plane

The flight returned to Dublin on one engine after the incident

An airliner heading for Bristol was forced to turn back and land on one engine after it collided with a flock of 21,000 racing pigeons.

None of the 103 passengers on board the Ryanair flight from Dublin was injured in the drama.

But bird carcasses were found on the runway and inside the damaged engine, according to an air accident report into the 2003 accident.

Start locations for pigeon races in Ireland have now been changed.