Skye Edge Fields: Heartbreak as '150' more pigeons killed in second fire to hit lofts on Sheffield estate

Nearly 200 pigeons died when flames tore through huts at Skye Edge Fields in July last year, having spread from a nearby van which is believed to have been set alight. Last Friday, April 28, tragedy struck again as a second blaze broke out at the same site, off Manor Laith Road, killing an estimated 150 birds this time.

Neil Jenkinson, who is a member of Park Homing Society, said his pigeon hut had been burned down in the first fire, after which he and an official at the pigeon club had asked Sheffield Council for help to clear up the site, which he said had become a ‘dumping ground’ – only to be told, he says, that it was their responsibility.

He claims that if action had been taken sooner to clear up the site and prevent more fly-tipping and arson there, the latest fire, which he believes was started deliberately, could have been prevented.

In January 2022, the council set out plans to tackle what council officers called ‘significant’ anti-social behaviour at Skye Edge Fields, including fly-tipping and arson. Those plans included creating secure boundaries to keep out 4x4s and ‘reduce opportunities for fly-tipping and fire-starting’.

After the fire last July, one resident called the blaze ‘heartbreaking’ and demanded more action to tackle arsonists, who he said regularly torched vehicles in the area.

Lisa Firth, Director of Parks, Leisure and Libraries, said: “We are sad to hear about the fire that caused the death of a number of pigeons at Skye Edge fields. We are keen to continue to work with everyone involved to resolve any current issues and to have further discussions about the future support that is needed.”