The big race of the day was the 400-mile marathon from Poitiers in France, where 30 valiant birds raced.

After nearly 10 hours on the wing, the winning bird returned home to the Burrows lofts in Banham to take the win, finishing just a yard per minute ahead of the second place pigeon of Andrew and Craig Daniels.

Paul Haistead was in 3rd place with a three-year-old bird, while Graham Seaman also featured taking fifth.

Several hours earlier, 158 birds raced from Maidstone in Kent, a mere sprint effort at 90 miles.

George and James continued their huge surge in form over the last couple of years by claiming the first 3 positions, clocking all 3 birds in less than 10 seconds.

Not for the first time this season, the Burrows won with a yearling bird, an ominous sign for the rest of the club. Graham Seaman was in fourth and fifth while A&C Daniels took sixth and seventh.

Tony White and Kelvin Sharman were also in the first ten, while several members sailed thorugh to the next round of the Old Bird Knockout Cup.

n With one win each at the weekend, it's still very much a two-man fight for the leadership of the South Norfolk Pigeon Club's 2009 Championship.

After Steve Kaschner's domination the two previous weekends, Bunwell's Brian Brooks, aiming to retain his champion status, took first, second and fourth places in the shorter race from Sleaford.

Scole man, Kaschner filled the other three places of the top six leaving Adrian Willis(Norwich), Chris and Many Reeves (Fressingfield) and president Peter Dale to fill the minor places.

However, it was Kaschner's bird who headed the field home in the much longer National race from Frazerburgh the following day.

Flying into a strong south easterly wind, it took the winning bird ten and a half hours to complete the 400 mile journey.

Although beaten by some ten minutes, Brook's birds came second and third with Wymondham's Nev Wells taking a fine fourth place ahead of Brooks and Kaschner who took fifth and sixth.

Kaschner also placed seventh, Bob Blades (Wymondham) took eighth ahead of the Stradbroke pair Joe and Roger Smith with Nev Wells completing the top ten.