Balloon hoax father 'could be charged later today'

The father accused of masterminding a hoax in which emergency services chased an out-of-control balloon in which his son was feared to be trapped could be charged as early as today, his lawyer has said.

David Lane said his client Richard Heene was willing to turn himself in over the alleged plot, which took in the world media on Thursday with cameras tracking the flying saucer-shaped vessel as it zipped across the Colorado skies.