Pigeon racing is facing a financial crisis because the Government banned international events to reduce the risk of bird flu spreading to Brirtain.

The result has been a disaster for the 110-year-old Royal Pigeon Racing Association, which has the Queen as its patron. The association depends on on subscriptions from member clubs, but its annual income has fallen by £50,000.

Peter Bryant, the general manager, said: “I just hope this isn’t the death knell for the sport in some areas. We understand that there need to be restrictions in places where there are outbreaks of the disease but our argument is that if there is no disease in a country, as in France, then it is a complete over-reaction to stop us flying from there. Racing pigeons pose a very low risk of catching or passing on bird flu.”

Restrictions imposed in April meant that races could start no more than 400 miles from the south coast of Britain. The ban was extended to all international racing in August.

This left organisations such as the British Barcelona Club, which races from Spain, without their premier race. The British International Continental Club, which competes against other European clubs, lost its international programme.

The association has 20 employees at its base in Cheltenham and an annual turnover of £1.2 million. Membership has been in gentle decline for years but has fallen by 6 per cent this year to 34,500. Pigeon racing has also been hit by an unfashionable image.

Geoff Richmond, vice-chairman of the Midlands National Flying Club, said: “Membership fell by 20 per cent this year. Racing from France is the sole purpose of our club.”

Peter Wilcox, president of the British Barcelona Club, which arranges races from Spain, said: “It’s been terrible. They are racing on the Continent and they have had no problems at all but at the moment British pigeons can’t.”

The association insists that it has scientific evidence to show that racing pigeons have a high resistance to high pathological avian influenza, HPAI, including the deadly H5N1 strain. Even pigeons artificially infected with HPAI did not pass on the disease to healthy pigeons.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “We will review this position for next year’s season in view of any increased knowledge. There aren’t any examples of pigeons passing on bird flu in Europe but this is a relatively new situation we find ourselves in, so we have to base policy on the veterinary risk assessment.”

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