PARAGLIDING record breaker Peter Wright is on cloud nine after flying further than anybody else -- just two years after breaking his back in a freak airborne accident.

Peter has smashed the record for the furthest distance flown from popular paragliding haunt Parlick in the Trough of Bowland.

For Peter, his 40 miles achievement is one he once thought he would never achieve after smashing into the side of Pendle Hill in the same paraglider in December 1997, sustaining multiple injuries as a result.

The Preston College technician spent several weeks in hospital recovering from the injury, and was off work for than four months as he recovered from the worst of the injuries -- a broken back.

He said: "There was a time when I thought I would never fly a glider again, which really worried me because I love doing it.

"But when I was told that I would recover I knew I would end up in the skies again.

"I suppose most people would have been put off by the accident and I know people thought I was brave or daft to go back up again. "I know I was lucky to survive the last accident but flying is in my blood. To get this record is fantastic.

"The whole past-time gives me such a buzz."

The record Peter now holds is for the longest distance flow from Parlick Airfield, near Lancaster. He managed to sail some 61.5 km in a time of 2 hours 50 minutes, eventually landing in the Cloverdale Valley in North Yorkshire.

He even used the same paraglider involved in the accident on Pendle Hill for the flight -- albeit with a few repairs!

Peter added: "I collected the paraglider when I left hospital and have rebuilt it so I could carry on flying with the Pennine Soaring Club.

"I am really pleased to have completed this flight. I have practised a lot since the accident, but this flight is the best one I have done.

"I was lucky to find the right mixture of good weather and thermals, which are rising warm currents of air which helped me go further."

Later this year he will take part in the British Paragliding Championships as well as the War of the Roses competition in Hawes.

Peter added: "I am so grateful I can still fly."

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