What a coo! Fanciers raise £10,000

FRIENDS and family of two pigeon fanciers are flying high after raising more than £10,000 for Oldham’s new radiotherapy centre in their memory.

Two Bury men, John Buntin and Robert Hellens, were racing partners for more than 40 years.

But the two men both died last year from cancer.

Before he died, Mr Hellens (64) asked his friends to hold an auction of their entire collection of 82 pigeons. George Hilson, Ken Green and Eric Entwistle spent weeks organising the event, which was held at Haslingden Cricket Club.

The auction attracted people from across Britain and Ireland and raised £10,360 for the Christie hospital, where both men were treated.

The money will be put towards the new Christie radiotherapy centre in Oldham, which opens later this year. Mr Hilson, of Bury, said: “The auction was Robert’s idea, but he was too ill to do it himself so we offered to help.

“We are delighted we managed to raise so much money.

“We would like to thank all the fanciers that came from far and wide to support the sale and help us raise such a fabulous amount.”