Out of this world flight for balloonists

THE countdown has begun for a flight by two British pilots to the edge of space in the world’s biggest manned helium balloon, it emerged yesterday.

Colin Prescot and Andy Elson plan to begin their flight in the 1,270-ft tall QinetiQ1 from a ship off the Cornish coast tomorrow morning.

News of the imminent launch came yesterday from project sponsors QinetiQ, the British science and technology research company.