TO some they are nothing more than rats with wings but for Geoff Gambrill this couldn't be further from the truth.

Pigeons, Geoff believes, are "little heroes".

Geoff's appreciation of pigeons stems from the war when they played a crucial role in communi-cations.

As a rear gunner in a Lancaster bomber during the Second World War it was Geoff's job to release the pigeons from the plane to his underground allies.

After being parachuted down in crates the miraculous creatures were then given messages that they carried back to English shores.

Geoff, 77, from Wroughton, said: "People don't realise what pigeons did during the war."

In spite of suffering from cancer of the spine and arthritis Geoff makes the journey to feed the ancestors of those birds who helped him every day.

"I even make sure that I do it at Christmas," he said.