USA: Maya Donnelly awoke to what sounded like thunder in the early hours of the morning, but dismissed it as a typical monsoon storm and went back to sleep.

United States adventurer Steve Fossett has repaired his giant balloon, ripped apart by a freak gust of wind last month, and says he will make another attempt this summer to become the first balloonist to fly solo around the world.

The British creators of a hi-tech balloon damaged at the start of a record breaking round-the-world attempt were today waiting anxiously to see if it can be repaired.