Southport provided local fanciers with a new liberation site as the young bird season in the Derwent Valley Federation moved to race four.

The birds were liberated at 10am on Saturday in a west-north-west wind and the leaders covered the 70 miles in just less than an hour and 50 minutes.

For the second time this season the partnership of Richard Martindale and George ‘Pal’ Lawman took all six tickets in the competitive Workington Victoria club.

They are making a good attempt to follow up last year’s highly successful young bird season.

Return were generally good and this week the birds will be nearly at the 100-mile mark when they race from Appleton.

Meanwhile, Neville Flett of the Lowca club has been in touch to say that he has cancer and faces a spell in hospital so all his young birds must go.

The majority are bred off Up North Combine winners.

He is only charging £10 or £20, depending on their breeding, and all money is to be donated to charity.

Anyone interested should contact Neville on 01946 66105 and they will be invited to view the birds.

Derwent Valley Federation

SOUTHPORT

SEATON RBL (3 sent 101): 1, 3, 4, Mr and Mrs Dustin 1094, 1074, 1059; 2, Dobie and Palmer 1080.

HARRINGTON CENTRAL (9 sent 271): 1, N and G Wordsworth 1157.49; 2, 3, 6, J Devlin 1157.46, 1157.46, 1069; 4, 5, Mr and Mrs W Carter and son 1072.6, 1072.4.

FLIMBY HS (7 sent 166): 1, 2, 3, 4, Nelson and Crellin 1185, 1173, 1163, 1154; 5, J Varty, son and grandson 1096; 6, P Rushforth 1082.

NETHERTON HS (8 sent 250): 1, 5, 6, J and T Whitehead 1185.1, 1176.7, 1176.4; 2, 3, Rafferty, Grisdale and McKendrie 1185, 1184; 4, Reay, Dempsey and son 1183.

WORKINGTON VICTORIA (8 sent 294): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Martindale and Lawman 1174.9, 1174.5, 1174.2, 1174.03, 1173.8, 1173.8.

FLIMBY WEST COAST (2 sent 88): 1, 4, Hunter bros; 2, 3, Hodgson and Saldert.

WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT (5 sent 98): 1, Brash, Semple and Devlin 1154.8; 2, 3, 4, 5, Williams and Hadfield 1154.05, 1070, 1068, 1053; 6, Mr and Mrs Walters and son 1051.

GARSTANG

HARRINGTON CENTRAL (7 sent 267): 1, 4, 5, 6, Mr and Mrs Carter and son 1325, 1319.6, 1319.4, 1319.1; 2, 3, J Devlin 1322, 1321.

WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT (5 sent 108): 1, Walker and son; 2, 3, Wilson and Johnston; 4, 5, 6, Williams and Hadfield.

FLIMBY WEST COAST (4 sent 100): 1, 2, Hunter bros 1352, 1351; 3, 4, Hodgson and Saldert 1344.9. 1344.1; 5, J and D Hine 1291.

DEARHAM UTD: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Harker and Berwick 1416.7, 1416.1, 1415.9, 1415.3, 1413.2, 1413.

FLIMBY HS (6 sent 144): 1, 4, P Rushforth 1418, 1412; 2, K Graham 1415; 3, 5, 6, A Bromley and co 1414, 1405.7, 1405.4.

NETHERTON HS (7 sent 233): 1, Wilson and Smiles 1385; 2, W Hodgson and son 1377; 3, Rafferty, Grisdale and McKendrey 1363.5; 4, Musgrave and son 1363.3; 5, 6. Reay, Dempsey and son 1359.5, 1359.3.

WORKINGTON VICTORIA (8 sent 301): 1, 4, Williams and Hadfield 1409, 1378.7; 2, 3, 5, Martindale and Lawman 1384, 1379, 1378.2; 6, Mr and Mrs Walters and son 1375.