The Bristol Balloon Fiesta Countdown begins at sunrise

A fleet of hot air balloons soared above the city to mark the official countdown to the 46th annual Bristol Balloon Fiesta.

Bristol’s flagship free-to-attend event will return to Ashton Court Estate from August 9-11, celebrating the city and its heritage links with hot air ballooning.

About 20 hot air balloons took to the skies at around 06:30 BST, starting from College Green and Queen Square and heading north towards the M4 motorway.

After liftoff, several specially shaped balloons will be tied on the College Green to greet morning commuters.

This year, more than 120 hot air balloons have been signed up to take part, and weather permitting, they will transform the compact central arena into a rainbow of colour.

Wallace and Gromit, Action Man, Rupert the Bear, Daisy the Cow and Thomas the Tank Engine are just some of the balloon characters expected to make an appearance at the annual three-day festival.

To celebrate the countdown, the Reverend Neil Patterson, Deputy Dean of Bristol Cathedral and the Very Reverend Dr Mandy Ford, Dean of Bristol, joined this morning’s ascension for their first hot air balloon ride.

“It was a fantastic experience to float from College Green and see the city spread out below,” Rev Patterson said.

“Many thanks to Phil, our pilot, especially as we scoured the parks of north Bristol for a place to land!”

Around 15 balloon teams will compete twice a day with the aim of completing one of the competition tasks directly over the festivity.

With a mix of aerial competitions, family activities, music, sports and interactive exhibits, organizers said there was something for everyone.