Meet The Seven-Year-Old Pigeon Racing Schoolgirl!

Meet The Seven-Year-Old Pigeon Racing Schoolgirl!
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While most seven-year-old girls are perhaps into My Little Pony - or at a push, Angry Birds - seven-year-old Heather Davies has a rather more interesting way of spending her free time - pigeon racing.

The schoolgirl is reportedly making quite a name for herself in the world of pigeon racing, and is devoted to tending to her seven birds.

Heather has her own loft in her back garden for her feathered friends, and is entering them in international races. The bird-besotted youngster even cleans out the pigeons' cages and feeds them before AND after school each day.

Heather - who lives with her mum and dad in the aptly named 'Pigeon House' cottage in Gloucestershire - says she has always loved animals, but birds are her favourite.

"I like to go down to the club with my dad to speak to the other people at the club, and I like taking care of my pigeons everyday," she told This Is Gloucestershire.

Heather's dad Jeremy, manager of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association's (RPRA) One Loft in Cheltenham, says she has been keen on racing since she was just five:

"She just loves going in to the loft and picking them up, she's done it since she was young. It was her love of animals that got her started, and although I let her choose her own path, I think she must have picked it up from me."

Heather reveals her favourite bird is five-month-old Daisy, who she has raced four times.

Jeremy said his daughter's love of the pigeons and racing is teaching her not only about animals, but also the world.

"She's also learning the geography of places as she goes around to release the birds on a race, and tracks them coming home," the proud dad said.

Heather has even uploaded videos of her birds to YouTube where she shows off her pigeon knowledge - did you know the birds can live up to 20 years?!