Hot air balloon hits power lines

Ten people have had a lucky escape when their hot air balloon crashed on to power lines.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened at about 8.50am on Friday at West Haddlesey, near Selby.

A pilot and nine passengers were on board at the time. Nobody was injured or stranded in the balloon, a police spokesman said.

The balloon is believed to have taken off from the Knavesmire in York.

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident, which happened between West Haddlesey Road and Burkin Road.

The spokesman said on Friday: "No reports of any injuries have been received and we understand that the passengers have been taken back to York Racecourse from where the balloon had taken off earlier this morning. The Air Accident Investigation Branch have been informed of the incident."

Meanwhile, flights have resumed at Gatwick Airport after they were temporarily disrupted after a hot air balloon flew into UK airspace.

A spokeswoman for the West Sussex airport said all departures were temporarily suspended just after 9am on Friday for safety reasons when the hot air balloon was spotted, although she did not know where it had been located.

Only five departing flights were disrupted during the delay while the air balloon moved away, the spokeswoman added.

She said: "The airport is not closed and arrival flights are still landing, but departing flights were suspended for safety reasons."