Balloon solo trip 'was the last'

The adventurer endured temperatures of minus 20C

Adventurer David Hempleman-Adams has said his latest record-breaking balloon venture was his last solo flight.

The 50-year-old, from Box, Wiltshire, set a new record on Friday, crossing the Atlantic in a helium balloon.

During the trip, he endured little sleep, temperatures of minus 20C, and the risk of crashing into the ocean.

Afterwards, he said: "This has to be my last solo flight. As Steve Redgrave said, 'if I try to do another, my friends have permission to shoot me'."

Close challenge

Hempleman-Adams had no way of navigating the tiny balloon which was open to the elements and the size of an average living room.

"This challenge was just too close to the edge. There was such a small margin for error," he said.

"If you can imagine your settee having four ropes attached to a balloon, that's exactly how it was. Health and safety wouldn't like it too much."

He travelled 2,625 miles and was in the air for 89 hours and 27 minutes.

He broke five aviation world records relating to the distance and time he spent flying, along with the size class of his balloon.

In 1998, he became the first person in history to reach the geographic and magnetic North and South Poles as well as climb the highest peaks in all seven continents.

He also already holds a number of other ballooning records, including staging the highest formal dinner party, at 24,262ft, in a specially-designed hot air balloon in 2005.