Up, up and away for Shropshire Balloon Festival - with video
Oswestry Balloon Festival is bringing thousands of people into the county and pouring money into the economy, the town's mayor has said.
The event is being held at the British Ironwork Centre just outside Oswestry, with up to 50 balloonists from across the country taking part in flights and a special night glow across the Bank Holiday.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Nightingale House Hospice, based in Wrexham, that has many patients from the Oswestry and north Shropshire areas.
One of those who went in one of the flights was Oswestry mayor Councillor Vince Hunt as mayoress, his daughter Amber.
Councillor Hunt said: "Events like this bring people and money into the Oswestry area. All these balloonists and their crews with be staying over in the area eating in the area and generally spending money here.
"It is the latest of several events at the British Ironwork Centre that have brought people to Oswestry. Our town used to be one that people drove past on the way to Wales, now people are staying for weekends.
"Oswestry Town Council has, for years, looked at ways that we could encourage more people to visit. It seems that Clive Knowles at the British Ironwork Centre has found the answer."
The balloon festival is being run by Lindstrand Balloons.
Per Lindstrand, who has held several world records in his life as a balloonist including travelling with Richard Branson on their record breaking flights; first across the Atlantic Ocean in 1987 and then the Pacific Ocean in 1990 said he hoped the event would become an annual festival.
"It is good to put Oswestry on the map," he said.
