One of the founding members of the club in the late 1970s, Burrows, along with son James, won the Old Bird Loft Knockout Cup from Hastings.

It was the pinnacle of, arguably, the Banham flyer's finest season in three decades.

Nearly 200 birds raced from Hastings, battling heavy showers on the way, but arriving home to a bright and sunny East Anglia.

Flying 112 miles, the Burrows duo were well ahead of the chasing pack to win the race, vel 1.422.

In second place were Andrew and Craig Daniels, a result which saw them defeated in the Knockout Cup final by the Burrows team.

Graham Seaman took third, fourth, sixth and eighth places, while Chris Wood was ninth and tenth.

The Diss and District Club have to sent their condolences to the family of club member Brian Long, who died last week.

Long was a hugely successful pigeon racer on the national and international stage, and played a pivotal role in the running and organisation of the sport in East Anglia and across the country.

* After Brian Brooks had continued his winning ways in Saturday's South Norfolk Club's short race from Boston, he was favourite to win the long race on Sunday from Thurso in Scotland.

The Bunwell man had completely dominated the short race, taking the first three places yet again.

But things changed on Sunday when Scole's Steve Kaschner took his first win for some time.

In the closest recorded club finish, a mere yard separated the first two birds after a 460-mile flight, which had taken more than 11 hours.

Until recently, the club would not have been able to record such a close finish but now use electronic timers.

Kaschner also took third and fourth places, Bob Blade was fifth and Brooks took sixth.

This weekend the club will race young untried birds.