A man has died in a hot air balloon crash in Worcestershire after the craft burst into flames mid-air.
The balloon was hundreds of feet in the air when it plunged and crashed into trees near the village of Ombersley at around 6.20am on Sunday, witnesses said.
Firefighters, paramedics and police rushed to the scene but the man was later pronounced dead.
Witnesses described seeing a “fireball” and heard “screaming” coming from the balloon as it plummeted to the ground.
One witness told Sky News: “There were lots of balloons in the sky because it was clear and sunny despite being so early.
“Suddenly there was a flash and what looked like a fireball coming from a blue balloon and it just dropped like a stone.
“My wife heard terrible screaming and then silence.
“We called the emergency services but had difficulty getting through on the 999 number because it was down.
“We finally got through but it was just too high for anyone to survive. It was a terrible thing to see.”
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “At 6.20am this morning police received a call a hot air balloon had deflated and fallen to the ground near the A449 at Ombersley.
“The balloon fell to the ground in a field off Holt Fleet Road, near Ombersley Court.
“Emergency services attended and unfortunately a man was pronounced dead by paramedics.
“The Air Accident Investigation Branch will now carry out an investigation.”
A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcestershire Fire Service: “We went out to an incident involving a hot air balloon in Ombersley on the Holt Fleet Road.
“We had a call at 6.23am, crews from Worcester, Droitwich, Wyre Forest, Evesham and Bromsgrove.
“We have left the scene now, but we have left it to the police.”
