Man dies after hot air balloon plummets to ground and crashes into trees
A man has died in a hot air balloon crash, West Mercia Police officers have said.
Firefighters, paramedics and police rushed to the scene in Worcestershire after a hot air balloon plunged hundreds of feet and crashed into trees early on Sunday.
Paramedics were unable to save the male pilot.
This weekend saw hundreds enjoying the first ever Worcester Balloon Festival at the city's racecourse.
In a statement West Mercia Police has said: "At 6.20am this morning (June 25) 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 Worcester Fire Service earlier told us: "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."
