A GWENT pigeon fancier will sell his world champion birds - to help raise money for victims of the US terror attacks.

Moslem Brian Kaid, (pictured) 46, of Waterloo Road, Newport, expects to raise tens of thousands of pounds from the sale and will donate at least 20 per cent of his profits to helping those affected by the World Trade Centre tragedy.

Mr Kaid has been breeding and racing pigeons since he was aged 10, and his birds have been officially classed the fastest in the world.

His prize bird, Belle Vue Lightning, is expected to fetch more than £11,000. His 107 pigeons will be put on sale at a national auction of birds in Blackpool on September 30, and hopes the total sum raised by his sale will beat the British record for such lots, which currently stands at £65,000.

That means around £13,000 will be going to the victims of the terrorist assault on New York's twin towers.

Mr Kaid is no stranger to tragedy. His five-year-old son died in 1995, and he lost his wife three years later.

He said: "I'm so, so sorry about the tragedies in America," and added that as a British-born Moslem he was against any acts of war and the taking life. "It is against Islamic law," he said.

"I have been scandalised by the fact that the terrorists are being bracketed with normal Islamic people.

"All my life most of my spiritual belief and strength have come to me from my pigeons. "This is my livelihood. These birds are my life's work and they have given me an opportunity to stand up against terrorism. I'm not a rich man but I'm giving what I have got.

"I would say to Mr Bush, please be patient. He should make sure he is punishing the right people," said Mr Kaid.

Bids for birds being sold at the Blackpool auction have been made by fanciers from across Europe and the US.

Derek Nicholls of Europa Pigeon Sales said: "We've had a lot of interest and this one is going to be a blockbuster. I'm very hopeful that it will break all British records."