Padiham pensioner, 74, ‘devastated’ as 50 prized pigeons are burned alive (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Padiham pensioner, 74, ‘devastated’ as 50 prized pigeons are burned alive
9:26am Friday 30th November 2012 in News
By Chris Adams
FAMILY DEVASTATED Heather Williams-McLean surveys the remains of her grandfather’s pigeon loft on Quarry Street, Padiham, after a devastating fire
ARSONISTS have targeted a pigeon fancier for the fifth time in 10 years leaving him devastated.
Police said 50 racing pigeons, worth thousands of pounds, were killed in the blaze which destroyed a wooden cabin.
The birds were the “pride and joy” of Geoffrey Williams, 74, who has been keeping pigeons at his allotment in Padiham for 50 years.
Two fire crews from Padiham tackled the blaze at Mr Williams’ allotment, in Quarry Street, at around 5.30pm on Wednesday.
Mr Williams was too upset to talk yesterday.
He was previously targeted in November 2006, when he lost 60 birds in an arson attack and a similar incident in March 2008 which killed 100 birds and two pet rabbits.
His daughter Julie Williams blasted the arsonists as ‘senseless morons’ while the North West regional president of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association said it was ‘very sad’.
She said that her father was ‘physically sick’ when he saw the burnt out shed.
Miss Williams, 46, a manager at the nearby Hilton Residential Lodge, said: “This is his life. He never takes holidays, even on Christmas Day he’s down here tending to the birds.
“He’s lost thousands of pounds before because of the previous attacks.
“He’s won hundreds of prizes with them. They are his pride and joy.
“He built the fencing around the place himself, and he used to have a dog for security but was told he couldn’t have one any more when new houses were built.”
Mr Williams, a former miner and slaughterhouse worker, lives in Partridge Hill Street with his wife Sheila, 70.
He has kept pigeons at the allotment since 1962.
She said that after the previous incidents the family had taken turns in keeping a watch on the sheds as they feared another attack would happen. She said: “We’re hoping dad will start again but he’s very down at the moment. He doesn’t know what to do and he still in a state of shock.
“We won’t be able to start working on clearing up and repairing the area until the weekend.”
Proven racing-stock pigeons cost more than £100 each.
Miss Williams estimates the cost of damage from all five incidents is around £50,000.
Brian Tattersall, North West regional president of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, said: “I can’t believe people would take this sort of action against someone enjoying a healthy pastime. He’s not a young man and the sport gives him something to live for.”
Duncan Barker-Brown, watch manager at Padiham station, said: “We are treating it as deliberate and we’ll be helping the police with their investigations.
“The shed is wooden and has suffered 100 per cent fire damage. It is likely to have been targeted from the outside on purpose.”
Comments(16)
bikerjohn_uk
says...
9:48am Fri 30 Nov 12
useyourhead wrote:Count me in on that too. No doubt if the perps are caught, they'll get a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again...
mindless yobs, if you want to start again Mr Williams please get in touch via telegraph and i will gladly buy your first bird for you when your ready, don't let the B's grind you down.
hiltonbabe
says...
10:49am Fri 30 Nov 12
mr williams is my dad, thankyou for the gesture its good to know there are still some decent people out there, some idiot wrote on here yesterday whats a bit of smoke and it really got to me because its left dad devestated, thanks again
Interocitor
says...
11:44am Fri 30 Nov 12
Ask him to try and remember that most people aren't like the utter scumbags who did this.
AndyW
says...
12:45pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Not only taking an elderly man's hobby from him, but killing 50 animals in a cruel and violent way.
Makes me sick.
Let's hope these people never find themselves in a similar situation...
hiltonbabe
says...
1:02pm Fri 30 Nov 12
mavrick
says...
1:11pm Fri 30 Nov 12
hiltonbabe
says...
1:11pm Fri 30 Nov 12
katey h
says...
2:09pm Fri 30 Nov 12
hiltonbabe
says...
3:03pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Ian123xyz
says...
6:09pm Fri 30 Nov 12
You know who you are guys and you know I am right?
Gazza b
says...
6:57pm Fri 30 Nov 12
The pigeon fancy is a very close community and no doubt will rally round to help if Mr Williams does decide to start again.
Its just sickening that these sort of acts happen in this day and age.
What enjoyment can anybody get from destroying this man's lifelong hobby and killing his birds.
Even if they are caught, the judicial system lets us down and these sort of yobs know it.
This is terrible news indeed.
pwitch
says...
7:04pm Fri 30 Nov 12
kenbro
says...
2:49am Sat 1 Dec 12
Where did that society go to ? Don't blame it on unemployment. Those folks came through the Great Depression and two wars. As some have said, the majority of the population are decent, law abiding people, but the percentage of young criminals seems to be growing, and it's every town, not just Padiham.
terhaps we need Borstal and National Service back again. Two years in the Army was good for a lot of us lads back then.
So sorry for Mr Williams and his birds. If they catch the cretins I hope they do some hard time. However, I doubt it.
bigdee123
says...
12:30pm Sat 1 Dec 12
personally i would hunt them down and deal with them in the only method they understand.
pwitch
says...
7:23pm Sat 1 Dec 12
useyourhead says...
9:40am Fri 30 Nov 12