Commuter seen carrying a pigeon in his hood on the tram in Manchester... "it was hard not to notice it"

A morning commute can often be a dull affair - but an unlikely feathered guest livened things up on one Manchester tram today. Phill Buckland was on his way to work on a Metrolink tram from Didsbury when he noticed a pigeon sat in the hood of a another commuter at 9am this morning (June 6).

In video footage, the pigeon seems to peck the back of the man's head at one point on the journey, but he appears unmoved. And despite the pigeon's surprise appearance on board the tram, Phill says other commuters didn't say anything about it.

"I was watching quite a hardcore documentary about a new drug in Colombia," said Phill. "When I looked up, I happened to see the pigeon staring me in the face.

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"The man was just sat there with the pigeon sat in his hood. I think it was a tame one.

"No one said anything but it's pretty hard not to notice it. I think he must have walked in front of a few people when getting on the tram."

Phill says the man got off the tram at St Peter's Square, with the pigeon still sat in the hood on his way out. "It's funny," Phill added.

"It's a good way to brighten up a Monday morning. When I lived in London there was a guy with a parrot on his shoulder on the tube, but obviously the Manchester version is a pigeon."

Metrolink byelaws state that animals are not allowed on Greater Manchester's trams, with the exception of guide dogs or hearing dogs. A trial allowing other dogs on board the Metrolink was suggested earlier this year - although it's unlikely any new policy would extend to pet pigeons.

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