Middlesbrough is large post-industrial town on the River Tees, in North East England. Whilst being close to protected areas of natural beauty, the town itself has a poor reputation.

It was once prosperous, due to its natural resources, but long, slow industrial decline lead to closures of steel works and processing plants. This left many people out of work and Middlesbrough with high levels of unemployment and poverty. Middlesbrough is therefore often portrayed negatively by the UK press – often listed as a ‘Worst Place to Live’ – focusing on crime and drugs problems, rather than its regeneration, arts or strong community spirit. The town’s notable industry is now chemical manufacture.

Pigeon Rolling originated in the UK but is a global sport, with hundreds competing each year in the World Cup Fly.

‘Rollers’– somersault naturally, they are trained and judged on their ability to roll in unison.

This short documentary follows the ‘Middlesbrough Rollers’ – a group of men dedicated to the sport of Pigeon Rolling in the North East of England. Through the film and our key characters, we learn what pigeon rolling is about; what a perfect ‘roll’ looks like and how success is judged – all whilst witnessing the strange and majestic sight of pigeons rapidly somersaulting backwards through the sky. We see Middlesbrough, hear its heritage for pigeon rolling, understand its sense of place and hear the strong local pride there is for a town often portrayed negatively in the UK press. The film then ultimately turns the camera on our group of ‘Pigeon Men’, as we understand the passion, dedication and the critical sense of community and shared enthusiasm that underpins this unlikely town’s global success in this surprising and growing sport.