Hot air balloon mystery

Emergency services, search dogs and RAF helicopters were called in for a three-hour search after reports of a hot air balloon hitting overhead electricity cables in Staffordshire.

The police and ambulance service received several calls claiming that a hot air balloon had collided with power lines in Stafford at around 10.30 last night.

But despite scouring the area until 2am there was no sign of the balloon.

Chris Kowalik, of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said they had received several calls from the area but each gave different locations for the incident. As well as ambulance crews they sent hazardous area response crews.