Last updated 19:38, Thursday, 13 March 2008

WORKINGTON homing man Les Blacklock has been elected to the sport’s highest office in Britain.

Les Blacklock wearing his Royal Pigeon Racing Association president’s chain

The Workington Victoria club secretary is now also the president of the Royal Racing Pigeon Association.

Blacklock has been a member of the RPRA since 1967 and a member of the RPRA council for 14 years.

He said: “It’s an honour to be elected. I just missed out by one vote three years ago so I know how close it can be.

“It’s not just an honour for me, however, because I see this also as an honour for Cumbria.

“We have had a Cumbrian president before but he was living away and representing the southern region at the time so I’m actually the first fancier living in the county to be elected.

“The issues dominating the sport at the moment are the electronic timing system, avian flu and decreasing membership.

“I think we will get the first two sorted but it might take longer for the third, although we are not alone, other sports are equally affected by declining numbers.”