Hot air balloon crashes in Nottinghamshire town

‘This isn’t something that happens very often’ said police

A hot air balloon crash-landed in a town centre in Nottinghamshire on Sunday (British Transport Police Nottinghamshire @BTPNotts)

A hot air balloon crash-landed in a town centre in Nottinghamshire on Sunday.

British Transport Police administered first aid to passengers of the balloon, which crash-landed beside the Nags Head pub in Sutton-in-Ashfield just after 9am on Sunday.

Andrew Davidson, the pilot of the balloon, said that the landing was “very, very unusual”.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever done that, and I’ve flown hot air balloons for over 30 years” the chairman of the Nottingham and Derby Hot Air Balloon Club added.

He said he was “anxious” to land before reaching the town but could not find anywhere suitable to land due to livestock, crops and power lines.

“At that point you just have to make sure you can keep control of the balloon so it doesn’t just drift,” he said.

While the landing was safe, the balloon did knock some tiles of the roof of the pub and one passenger experienced a nose-bleed.

BTP Nottinghamshire shared a photograph of the crash landing on Twitter.

“Now this isn’t something that happens very often,” they tweeted. “Whilst on patrol officers have witnessed a hot air balloon crashing in Sutton in Ashfield town centre.

“Officers have assisted with first aid, before helping get the balloon under control. #unexpected”