Balloon attempt fails

The team were inflating the balloon when disaster struck

Two British balloonists have called a halt this morning to their attempts to break the world altitude record for a manned flight.

Andy Elson and Colin Prescot broke the news live on Breakfast just before 0730 this morning, with an hour to go before the balloon's scheduled take off .

The team began filling the gigantic balloon with helium this morning. But just before 0700, it appears that one of the seams on the balloon - made of thin polyethylene plastic - had ruptured, leading the baloon to deflate.

"The hole is of a repairable size," explained Andy Elson "But it's only designed to be inflated once.

"Once it's been on the deck, it's actually scrap," he told Breakfast.

Disappointment

Years of planning have gone into the attempt to break the 40 year old world altitude record.

Disappointment for the balloon's two pilots

The team, sponsored by Qinetiq, had designed a balloon from lightweight polyethylene, similar to the material used in freezer bags.

Once fully inflated, out in space, the balloon would have been taller than New York's Empire State Building.

Prescot and Elson would have been suspended on an open platform underneath the vast balloon, which it was planned would take them 25 miles up into space.

"This is the end of the mission for this year," Elson told Breakfast this morning. "We will have to talk to Qinetiq about what happens next"

Breakfast will bring you the latest throughout the morning from 0600 BST on BBC One and BBC News 24

Jules Botfield will be reporting live from mission control at St Ives, throughtout this morning's programme

We'll also get the latest from the BBC's Robert Hall, who's out at sea aboard the RV Triton, with the launch team