BIRD-lover Austin Johnston split with his girlfriend and moved in with his pigeons.
The 38-year-old has converted the allotment loft into a makeshift bungalow, which he shares with his 70 prize racers.
He has survived the harsh winter in the red-and-white painted shed, in Silksworth, Sunderland.
The loft is split into two parts - with the pigeons given the larger section.
He and girlfriend Denise Lauderdale split last year and Austin moved out of their council house in the city.
With nowhere to go, he faced the prospect of ending up on the street.
But he had always kept his beloved pigeons in comfortable conditions, and moved into their spacious cree.
He said: "I like it here. The birds are my pride and joy and they are quite good company. The only thing is that they make a bit of a noise during the night and it's hard to get much sleep."
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