Prized homing pigeon found over 4,000 miles from home, ending up in Alabama rather than Gateshead

A Tyneside pigeon fancier is facing a long trip to collect one of his prized birds after it flew off course to America.

Bob the pigeon was released in Guernsey and was meant to return to his home in Winlaton in Gateshead.

Instead he turned up thousands of miles away at an animal shelter in Alabama.

Alan Todd, Bob's owner, was contacted by the Monroe County Alabama Animal Shelter in America after a man asked for their help dealing with a pigeon who would not leave his home.

Once at the shelter, staff checked Bob's microchip and were shocked to find it hailed from Gateshead.

That meant the homing pigeon had strayed around 4,200 miles further than it should have.

Despite travelling such a distance Bob is said to be in a good condition. He is a little underweight, but an American vet thinks this is due to flying thousands of miles.

The Alabaman animal shelter has said it is now working on a plan to reunite Alan with his champion pigeon.

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