Hot air benefits mayor's appeal

A Basingstoke businessman's ambitious attempt at raising funds for the borough mayor's charity has ended in triumph after his firm's balloon finished third in a national hot air distance challenge.

Terry Thornhill, of Toucan Travel, entered his balloon in the Great British Long Jump - a competition to find which balloon could make the longest single journey over land in October.

Piloted by Kerry Coate-Bond and Kim Hull, of Hartley Witney-based Adventure Balloon Company. Terry's balloon recorded a whopping 154.4 miles in a journey from King's Worthy, just north of Winchester, to six miles east of Lincoln. The winning distance was 234 miles, and second place was 211.

When the results were announced by the competition organisers last Sunday, Terry was delighted with the third place.

Referring to the fliers, he said:

"They've done brilliantly. It's the first time they've done it in 10 years and to come third in a national competition is brilliant. We only just missed second place. They planned it so well, because it's so weather-reliant - the balloon can only go where the wind takes it."

Money was raised for CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) - the charity chosen to benefit from this year's mayor's appeal by Basingstoke and Deane first citizen Cllr Rita Burgess - Terry invited people to guess how far the balloon would travel.

The person with the closest guess to the final distance will win two tickets to fly with Adventure Balloons in 2003.

By Paul Hobson