Butterknowle fancier receives one of pigeon racing's top national honours

A BUTTERKNOWLE man has been awarded one of pigeon racing’s top national honours after more than five decades of service to the sport.
Trevor Peairs stood down as secretary of Cockfield and District Federation after 55 years in the post last month and in recognition he has been awarded the Major L Lewis Memorial Trophy.
The trophy is made to only one person each year by the Confederation of Long Distance Pigeon Racing Unions of Great Britain and Ireland.
The president of the West Durham Amalgamation, Alan Brown, made a special visit to the 80-year-old last week to present the trophy.
Mr Peairs said: “I was overjoyed. This isn’t for pigeon racing, it is for service to the sport.”
Mr Brown added: “It is a massive honour and it is well deserved.”
It is the first time in the trophy’s history that it has been awarded to anyone from the Cockfield Federation.