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Breeders can’t fathom how more than half of the 9,000 birds disappeared during the competition after taking flight in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday. It was hoped the homing pigeons would arribe in the North East within three hours.

Atmospheric conditions are the only explanation that has been put forward so far, Chronicle Live reports.

Richard Sayers, a pigeon fancier, said: “We’ve seen one of the very worst ever racing days in our history.

“Most of the breeders I’m talking to are blaming the atmospheric conditions — possibly a solar storm above the clouds that created static in the atmosphere — but no one really knows.”

Homing pigeons use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate but they can be disorientated if there is a geomagnetic storm.

Each pigeon has an identification ring.

Mr Sayers, from Skinningrove, North Yorkshire, told The Sun anyone who comes across a racing pigeon should feed, water it and let it rest.

But clubs across the UK are reportedly distraught to lose hundreds of pigeons as a result of the bizarre mystery.

Ian Evans, of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, reportedly said: “We became aware quite quickly that something very unusual was happening.

“I have never heard of anything like this.

“On the face of it the weather conditions were good. But in the event, thousands of birds simply didn’t return.

“Something happened that disrupted their navigational abilities. We believe it may have had something to do with solar wind activity.”

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