The world’s oldest air race took off from Britain for the first time at the weekend.
A total of 20 balloons flew from a field near Bristol on Saturday all hoping to win the 54th Gordon Bennett Cup with adventurer David Hempleman-Adams hoping to regain his crown.
The historic trophy is awarded to the team which flies the furthest using just one ”fill” of hydrogen in its balloon.
According to the latest reports there are only six of the 20 gas balloons left in the running – with Hempleman-Adams’ team he only British representatives left in the competition in third place.
Here’s our gallery from Saturday’s launch.