IAN Ashpole of Ross-on-Wye has floated into the record books and achieved his childhood dream of setting a new world record for the highest flight of toy balloons.

Suspended in a harness beneath 600 helium-filled balloons Ian took to the skies on Sunday morning from Chatteris, near Cambridge.

For the first 5,000ft he was attached to Douglas the Lurpak Lighter hot air balloon after which he cast off and carried on his accent alone.

He eventually reached 11,000ft before cutting the balloons away with a knife and parachuting back to earth landing 10 miles from the take off site.

"The most worrying moment came when I released myself from Douglas the support balloon and began to spin quite dramatically. I thought for a while I might have a problem," commented Ashpole.

"I got to the point where a lot of balloons were starting to burst, it sounded like machine gun fire – but I cut myself free without any problem."

Ian was inspired by the film 'Red Balloon' which he saw as a child.

"Ever since seeing the film I have always wanted to recreate the scene where the boy floats off under a helium filled balloon."

Ian (46) set the previous record back in 1996 and one day hopes to reach 15,000ft.