HERE comes the answer to Winchester’s pigeon problem. Nature’s fastest killer - peregrine falcons.

They reach speeds of 200mph when they dive onto their prey.

Few pigeons lasted long when the falcons nested at the police headquarters on Romsey Road. Explosions of pigeon feathers were a fairly common sight for people working in the offices.

Since its demolition the birds have migrated to the similarly high eyrie of Winchester Cathedral where several young have recently hatched.

These photos show the young growing and beginning to stretch their wings.

Corinne Bespolka, of the Cameron Bespolka Trust wildlife charity, said one of the juveniles has fledged and is flying around and the other two have been spreading their wings in anticipation of flight.