A British racing pigeon called Houdini got lost on her first race - and ended up 5,200 miles away in Panama City.

The 10 month-old bird was supposed to be in a six hour race from Guernsey to Dudley, reports the Daily Mirror.

But she failed to arrive and its owner Darren Cubberly, 45, had give up hope the bird would return from the 224 mile trip.

He was surprised to get a phone call this week from Panama City, where the bird had ended up.

He was told the bird was alive and healthy despite her mammoth trip. It's thought she landed on a ship travelling to the area.

The bird had been taken in by Gustavo Ortiz after she landed on his roof. Mr Ortiz rang Mr Cubberly after noticing contact numbers on it.

"I was gobsmacked. I didn't even know where Panama was," said Mr Cubberley.

"I've no idea how Houdini got there - I can only assume she hitched a lift on a ship across the Atlantic."

He believes she must have been fed on the boat as she appeared to be in "perfect shape".

The pigeon, now reportedly learning Spanish, will stay with her new family in Panama as it's too expensive to ship her home.

Come to think of it, when the canoeist John Darwin disappeared, he purchased a £200,000 tropical estate in the village of Escobal, in Panama.

A British racing pigeon called Houdini got lost on her first race - and ended up 5,200 miles away in Panama City.


What else could she do but a disappearing act?  ;D