DEVASTATED pigeon fancier John Platt is counting the cost of a blaze which destroyed his pigeon loft killing 50 valuable birds.

It is thought that youngsters caused the fire by setting light to an abandoned motor scooter which had been dumped alongside the fence of John's home in Second Avenue, Rainhill. Fire crews were called out at about 1am on Saturday.

The blaze spread to the garden fence and then caught the pigeon loft.

Fifty of the birds, worth between £50 and £150 each, were killed by fire and smoke. John, who has kept and raced pigeons for 45 years, and firefighters only managed to save 11 of the flock.

John, who had just gone into partnership with neighbour Ally Lenton to breed racing birds, said: "Our stock was among the best in the region and it has taken a lot of building up. It was was worth thousands of pounds, but it's not the money, it's the time spent building up the stock that matters, and you can't buy back time. This fire has put us back years."

The blaze is being investigated by the Fire Service and the police. Anyone able to help the police with their inquiries can call DC Dave Essery at St Helens police station on 0151 777 6064, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

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