English heroes

Taken from the Sky News web page though they fall into the usual trap of calling him a Brit. This will be an occasional series recording English men and women who are achieving great things for themselves and reflecting well on the country of their birth.

I'm not going for the famous or well known, just people who are worth a mention for achieving amazing things and who rarely if ever get a mention in the papers.

English explorer David Hempleman-Adams is attempting to break the world record for endurance in a hot air balloon today.

Hempleman-Adams' records include staging the highest formal dinner party

Hempleman-Adams, who has 44 world aviation records, will use a tiny gas balloon with a capsule the size of a laundry basket as he flies over the maize fields of Kansas in the US.

The current record, held by American Coy Foster, stands at eight hours and 12 minutes and was set when he flew over Texas in May 1983.

Hempleman-Adams said: "This is the tiniest balloon basket I've ever flown in.

"I'm petrified of landing in water which can be one of the most dangerous manoeuvres in ballooning, so I thought flying over maize fields would be a better option.

"However, given that Kansas is the third highest wind-powered state in the entire US, I will be very much on the lookout for some of the thousands of wind turbines that populate the area.

Hope he breaks the record, he has a damned good track record so far.

Update, He did it!