By Thom Morris

tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

An American adventurer took off from Challock armed with several dozen helium balloons in his attempt to cross the Channel.

Jonathan Trappe, 36, took off from the Kent Gliding Club in Squids Gate just after 5am this morning beneath a colourful collection of giant balloons.

Club member Tudur Williams followed Mr Trappe in a glider down to Dover.

He said: "I got down to the airfield at about 4.30am and he set off at about 5.20am. There was quite a few of us following him including a couple of helicopters. At one point he dropped down to 200 feet and you could see water pouring out as he adjusted his water ballast.

"It was clear he was going to make it although there was talk of him ending up in Belgium because he was at the mercy of the wind."

Mr Williams added: "He was terribly organised and he makes it look very easy but it was clear a lot of planning had gone into this."

Mr Trappe set down in a cabbage patch just north of Dunkirk just after 9am becoming the first person to cross the channel by helium balloon.

He reached heights of about 7,000 feet before reaching the continent on a sunny but cold morning. His seat pod was filled with GPS equipment to ensure he made it to France safely.

He has already made a number of trips using his balloons, including a new world record for the longest free-floating balloon flight, flying 109 miles across North Carolina.