Balloons over safari park begin aviation spectacle

A photo taken from above shows dozens of balloons around the palatial Longleat House. Some are in the air, while others still sit on the ground. A small amount of mist can be seen in the air.Claire Hartley

Dozens of balloons flew over Longleat House, with 51 taking off in total

More than 50 hot air balloons, including those in the shape of animals, have been flown over a safari park to begin its annual aviation spectacle in its anniversary year.

Longleat Safari Park, near Warminster in Wiltshire, opened six decades ago in 1966, and it is also 50 years since the site hosted its first ballooning event - a 24-hour race.

The first day of its Icons of the Skies event on Friday saw 51 balloons take off, the first two being Simbaloo and Adelaide, the Longleat lion and koala.

The three-day event will also feature pyrotechnic air displays, nightglows and fireworks.

An image taken from the ground shows a large hot air balloon just beginning to lift off. It is largely yellow with the face of a lion. Beneath it, several other inflated balloons still sit on the ground.

One of the first balloons to take off was Simbaloo, the lion

An image taken from above shows various hot air balloons in front of Longleat House. Some have taken off, others are still on the ground. The highest is a yellow balloon in the top right of the image, while a blue one rises just below it, to its left. Claire Hartley

Those lucky enough to be in the balloons had fantastic views of Longleat House

An aerial photograph shows more than a dozen hot air balloons beginning to take off from the grounds of Longleat House. A small amount of cloud in the foreground slightly obscures the view.Claire Hartley

The first balloons to take off rose through low-lying clouds

An aerial image shows dozens of balloons now high in the sky, floating off into the distance. Some appear as tiny spots, clearly a long way away. Others are close enough that their branding can almost be read. Claire Hartley

The balloons floated off into the distance after take off

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