Hot air balloons have sailed into central London's clear blue skies this morning for the Lord Mayor's annual regatta.
As many as 46 of the giant inflatables have been spotted drifting past iconic landmarks, including the Shard and Houses of Parliament, as they pepper the city's skyline...
Hot air balloons sail past London landmarks including the Shard and the Houses of Parliament as they take to the skies for the Lord Mayor's stunning annual regatta
Hot air balloons have been spotted floating past several of central London's major landmarks this morning
As many as 46 of the giant inflatables have taken to the air for the Lord Mayor's stunning annual regatta
They took off from Battersea Park at 5.15am and have been seen sailing past the Shard and Parliament
By Luke Andrews For Mailonline
9 June 2019
Hot air balloons have sailed into central London's clear blue skies this morning for the Lord Mayor's annual regatta.
As many as 46 of the giant inflatables have been spotted drifting past iconic landmarks, including the Shard and Houses of Parliament, as they pepper the city's skyline.
Launching from Battersea Park at 5.15am this morning, the planned route will see them float towards London Bridge and near to the Tower of London.
The balloons are flying to raise money for the Lord Mayor's Appeal, which supports the Samaritans, OnSide Youth Zones and children's mental health charity Place2Be. It has raised more than £250,000 to date.
At 5.30am the Appeal's twitter account announced that the multicoloured balloons had successfully taken to the skies. Some are striped, while others look like owl or koala faces, and one even looks like a boot.
Alderman Peter Estlin, who is the 691st Lord Mayor of the City of London, said: 'The Lord Mayor’s Balloon Regatta is quickly establishing itself as one of the cultural highlights associated with the City of London, creating breath-taking views across the capital’s iconic skyline.
'It brings together charity, community and commerce, everything that the city – and the Lord Mayor – is all about.
'Every year, the event raises awareness and money for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal charities.'
Unfortunately the Lord Mayor was unable to attend this year, according to a spokesman, but CEO of the Mayor's Appeal Caroline Wright took to the skies in the Lord Mayor's balloon as a representative.
Exclusive Ballooning has been running the regatta since its founding in 2015. The event's headline sponsor was RICOH, an electronics company, along with the City of London Corporation.
Hot air balloons have sailed into central London's clear blue skies this morning for the Lord Mayor's annual regatta. (Pictured) Many of the balloons are striped but some have been decorated with the Union Jack while others have been decorated to look like an owl or koala, and one even looks like a boot
The giant inflatables took off around 5am from Battersea Park this morning as they head along a planned route towards London Bridge and the Tower of London
As the balloons move in convoy, peppering the London skyline, they have been spotted floating past iconic landmarks including the London Eye and Houses of Parliament
A blue hot air balloon floats past the Shard and London Bridge station as it travels through the skies above central London. The balloons have been launched for the Lord Mayor's annual regatta to raise money for charity
This breath-taking picture shows 22 hot air balloons floating through the skies of central London early on Sunday morning
Hot air balloons are seen floating past the Thames Barrier in central London as they head towards the city's skyscrapers
Among those that sailed over the barrier included the hot air balloon that was shaped like a boot, and the balloon that appeared to be shaped like an owl
One of the giant inflatables heads past the HSBC Building, 8 Canada Square, as it moves along the planned route
The hot air balloons were also photographed drifting over London City Airport in breath-taking scenes
This balloon was pictured sailing past 20 Fenchurch building, the Walkie Talkie, Leadenhall building, also known as the cheese grater, and the Gherkin
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ndon-landmarks-skies-Lord-Mayors-regatta.html
As many as 46 of the giant inflatables have been spotted drifting past iconic landmarks, including the Shard and Houses of Parliament, as they pepper the city's skyline...
Hot air balloons sail past London landmarks including the Shard and the Houses of Parliament as they take to the skies for the Lord Mayor's stunning annual regatta
Hot air balloons have been spotted floating past several of central London's major landmarks this morning
As many as 46 of the giant inflatables have taken to the air for the Lord Mayor's stunning annual regatta
They took off from Battersea Park at 5.15am and have been seen sailing past the Shard and Parliament
By Luke Andrews For Mailonline
9 June 2019
Hot air balloons have sailed into central London's clear blue skies this morning for the Lord Mayor's annual regatta.
As many as 46 of the giant inflatables have been spotted drifting past iconic landmarks, including the Shard and Houses of Parliament, as they pepper the city's skyline.
Launching from Battersea Park at 5.15am this morning, the planned route will see them float towards London Bridge and near to the Tower of London.
The balloons are flying to raise money for the Lord Mayor's Appeal, which supports the Samaritans, OnSide Youth Zones and children's mental health charity Place2Be. It has raised more than £250,000 to date.
At 5.30am the Appeal's twitter account announced that the multicoloured balloons had successfully taken to the skies. Some are striped, while others look like owl or koala faces, and one even looks like a boot.
Alderman Peter Estlin, who is the 691st Lord Mayor of the City of London, said: 'The Lord Mayor’s Balloon Regatta is quickly establishing itself as one of the cultural highlights associated with the City of London, creating breath-taking views across the capital’s iconic skyline.
'It brings together charity, community and commerce, everything that the city – and the Lord Mayor – is all about.
'Every year, the event raises awareness and money for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal charities.'
Unfortunately the Lord Mayor was unable to attend this year, according to a spokesman, but CEO of the Mayor's Appeal Caroline Wright took to the skies in the Lord Mayor's balloon as a representative.
Exclusive Ballooning has been running the regatta since its founding in 2015. The event's headline sponsor was RICOH, an electronics company, along with the City of London Corporation.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ndon-landmarks-skies-Lord-Mayors-regatta.html
