Pigeon fancier forced to quit over feather allergy

Jason Dempsey has had pigeons for more than 40 years

A man who has been racing pigeons for decades has been forced to give up the sport because of a feather allergy.

Jason Dempsey, from Maryport, Cumbria, got into the hobby when he was just eight years old and currently has about 120 birds.

"Once the birds start disappearing, it's going to be hard, I'm not going to lie," Mr Dempsey said.

He said he was leaving the sport on a high after winning the Derwent Valley Federation and West Cumbria Amalgamation.

"It was quite pleasing, this being the last year I'm racing the pigeons," he told BBC Radio Cumbria.

Mr Dempsey had spent years building his team of birds and would get up at 04:00 BST to train them.

"It just gives you that butterflies in your stomach feeling when you see your bird folding its wings back and you know it's yours and it's coming to your loft," he explained.

Mr Dempsey hopes his pigeons will go to a good home

The 50-year-old has had asthma since he was 18 and had struggled with chest infections in recent years.

He said he thought it was related to the respiratory disease, but further tests showed he was actually highly allergic to the birds' feathers.

"It's the dust that's on the feathers. It's making my lungs struggle. It's known as pigeon fancier's lung," Mr Dempsey said.

• Listen to the full interview with BBC Radio Cumbria's Stephanie Finnon

The condition, also called bird fancier's lung, is among the most common forms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

It is caused by particles from birds' feathers or droppings and can lead to lung scarring if left untreated.

Mr Dempsey said he was sad to leave the sport, but his health was the priority - and added his wife was looking forward to have the weekends back.

He will sell his birds to others in the pigeon racing community after the final race this weekend.

"Fingers crossed they'll go to a good home," Mr Dempsey said.