A FORMER second-hand car salesman has turned his 20-year hobby of falconry into a business.

Robert Allott set up his business, Prince Bishops Bird of Prey and Falconry, using a grant from the North-East branch of The Prince's Trust.

The 30-year-old keeps nine birds of prey at his Durham City home, including falcons, hawks and owls.

He takes part in country fairs and shows, and hopes to interest schools in demonstrations.

He plans to hold hunting days to give members of the public first-hand experience of flying the birds and develop the pest control side of the business.

He said: "This could be of great benefit to farmers who have problems with rabbits, to factory owners who have problems with pigeons and starlings and at landfill sites where the use of birds of prey is an excellent way of dealing with all kinds of vermin."

Mr Allott has been interested in birds of prey from the age of 12 when he was given an injured kestrel to nurse back to health.

Without the work of falconers, birds such as peregrine falcons, would be extinct in Britain.

Mr Allott said: "This has been avoided because endangered birds have been put into a breeding programme by falconers who have learned to breed them successfully.

"It is this knowledge that has kept many rare species going."