Balloon festival's first Friday ascent cancelled

Pilots set up their baskets for a "meet the pilots" event to demonstrate how the balloons work

The first mass ascent of the Bristol Balloon Fiesta weekend has been cancelled due to high winds.

Crowds gathered at the Ashton Court Estate had hoped to watch balloons take to the skies early on Friday morning, the first of the three-day event.

In a statement on X, a spokesperson for the fiesta said pilots had concluded during their morning briefing the wind was "simply too fast".

However, they added: "The good news is our weather charts are showing much calmer winds at coming through over the weekend."

While the mass ascent did not take place, pilots set up their baskets in the arena space for a "meet the pilots" event to demonstrate how the balloons work.

Fiesta founder Don Cameron, who developed Britain's first modern hot air balloon and created the world's largest balloon manufacturer Cameron Balloons in Bristol, told the BBC: "If you do ballooning you learn to be patient because we're at the mercy of the weather, it's bad luck because a week ago it was great but here we are.

"We have some great weather over the weekend, we never miss out totally."

Fiesta founder Don Cameron said he would fly "as soon as the weather lets us"

Now 85, Mr Cameron added he will be up in a balloon as soon as the weather allows.

Asked how he felt about the fact the fiesta is now in its 46th year he said: "It makes me feel too old really, but we keep on going and hopefully we'll still be around for the 50th."

Pete Dalby, chair of the fiesta's flying committee, said: "It is disappointing when we can't fly, but there are reasons for that.

"We had a lot of rain yesterday and overnight but that's cleared - we've been told the conditions are going to get better and better as we go through the weekend."

Mr Dalby added strong gusts of wind were "the dangerous thing" and could quickly turn an ascent "into chaos".

Flight director Chris Bailey confirmed the nightglow would go ahead

Clive Bailey, flight director at the fiesta, said: "We had a lot rain yesterday and overnight, but sun cream today so we've gone to the other extreme.

"The trouble is the wind was just too strong this morning to get a flight in."

He did not rule out a mass ascent on Friday evening, telling the BBC the decision would be made shortly before 6pm, but said there was "lots going on today" and "the nightglow will be fabulous".