British dad makes 'unscheduled' hot air balloon landing at daughter's school

BASSINGBOURNE, England, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- A British dad unexpectedly dropped in on his daughter at school when his hot air balloon had to make an "unscheduled landing" without hitting any sheep.

Adrian Brown of Litlington, England, said he was flying in his Cloud Hopper -- a hot air balloon with a single-person seat instead of a basket -- Tuesday when he realized he wasn't going to be able to make his target of Royston Heath due to the light winds.

Brown told the BBC he had to make an "unscheduled landing" and he chose the clearing between Bassingbourn Primary School and Bassingbourne Village College to avoid hitting or disturbing the sheep in another nearby field.

"I could see there was plenty space to land by Bassingbourn Village College -- with the movement of the wind turbine and some smoke coming out of one of the buildings, I could judge the wind movement on the ground," Brown told the Royston Crow newspaper.

The head teacher at the primary school said the unexpected visitor "made their day" at the school.

The balloonist said someone else was happy to see him -- his daughter, Katie, is an eighth grader at the Village College.

"[She] came across and said hello, which was lovely," Brown said.

Bassingbourne Village College posted photos to Facebook of Brown's landing, as well as some photos the balloonist took from the sky.

Brown thanked school staff on Facebook for helping him "pack the balloon away."