RICHMOND'S pigeon fanciers have been smoothing ruffled feathers after a move from their home for the past 50 years.

Members of the town's Homing Pigeon Society have kept equipment in an outbuilding in the yard of the Town Hall public house for decades.

However, after the arrival of a new landlady, the club was told its premises were needed for storage.

Licensee Tenille Wren said: "There was no ultimatum but I asked if they could find a new base as soon as they could.

"The accommodation at the pub isn't big enough for my own furniture and I had to have somewhere else to put it."

The hunt for a new roost began immediately with a publican at Barton quick to offer the club an alternative home but, in the end, members accepted another offer from the owner of The Crown in Brompton-on-Swale.

Club spokesman Ged Barker said: "We have had to spend about £200 of club's money on some wood for the floor, but otherwise it's ideal and we are extremely grateful."