A PIGEON- fancier is warning other people to be on their guard after vandals attacked his loft twice in two weeks.

Cedric Myers, of Rowntree Avenue, York, has kept pigeons in a loft at Bootham Stray allotments in Wigginton Road for the last three years.

But twice in the last two weeks his fence has been stolen, its replacement burned down and the pigeon loft traps smashed up.

Now he is worried the vandals could torch the loft.

The latest incident happened overnight between Thursday and Friday.

Mr Myers said the culprits had smashed the "Sputnik traps", which allow the birds to get into the loft but not to get back out.

Because the traps had been destroyed, Mr Myers said rats would have been able to kill the nestling birds he is raising and the adult pigeons could get out - although being homing pigeons, they remain around the loft.

Mr Myers said: "It must be someone who knows about pigeons to smash all the Sputniks. Rats or anything could have got in and killed the birds."

He said he had about 60 adult pigeons and 30 chicks which he races.

Mr Myers, who is 62, said he had kept pigeons since he was nine, but gave them up when he was working.

He retired three years ago and took his old hobby up again.

He said: "To me they are invaluable. I'm retired and they are my pride and joy. I just wanted to make people aware what's happening."

The attack on Mr Myers' loft is not the first time pigeons have been targeted in York.

In February last year, dozens of birds housed in lofts on Nestle-owned allotments in Haxby Road were burned to death in a suspected arson attack.

All 20 pigeons in one loft were killed, along with more - thought to number up to 60 - in a second fire which started during the same night.

One of the pigeon owners told The Press at the time that he was "absolutely shattered" by the loss of his birds, worth about £2,000.