London hot air balloon regatta to return to city's skies

The last time the regatta took place was in 2019

Dozens of hot air balloons are set to soar above London's skyline later this year for the first time since 2020.

The Lord Mayor's Hot Air Balloon Regatta will returns to the capital after being cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and in 2021 and 2022 because of bad weather.

The timing would depend on the weather, with 14 and 21 May the first two possible dates, organisers said.

A third stand-by date of 2 July had also been agreed, they added.

The last time the regatta took place was in 2019, when 46 hot air balloons took off from Battersea Park at 05:30 BST and floated through the skies across central London.

That event raised £76,000 for charity and organisers said that in total the four events held since the first in 2015 had so far raised just over £250,000.

More details are expected to be confirmed in due course.

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