Allotment blaze kills 50 pigeons

Up to 50 racing pigeons were killed in a fire which destroyed a loft on a Tyneside allotment.

Firefighters were called to Mary Avenue, Birtley, on Monday night after reports a pigeon cree containing 100 birds was well alight.

The crew managed to rescue about half the birds from the blaze and stopped the flames spreading to a neighbouring loft on the site.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.