RESIDENTS watched in amazement as a hot air balloon was forced to land in the middle of a housing estate.

Youngsters cheered as pilot Clive Stevenson, from Langho, landed it on a small patch of grass at Douglas Place, in the Roe Lee area of Blackburn after dusk last night -- because air regulations stipulate that hot air balloons must not fly after dark.

Mr Stevenson, an experienced pilot, said there was no emergency.

He said: "We had taken off from Ribchester and planned to fly across Blackburn. But the wind wasn't that strong so we were going very slowly and realised that it would be dark before we had passed over the other side of Blackburn.

"There were fields before here but they weren't in our flight path. It was much better for us to land here than risk having to land in the centre of Blackburn. This is one of the smallest bits of land I have landed on but it was so still tonight I could have landed on a dustbin lid with accuracy."

The balloon was carrying its owners, John and Ann Howard, of Preesall, near Fleetwood. Ann said: "It was a bit different and it certainly caused a stir in the area." HAPPY LANDING: Youngsters cheer pilot Clive Stevenson, with John and Ann Howard