See Wellington from four thousand feet in the air as this year's ballooning season kicks off.

Somerset firm Fly Away Ballooning are readying to take to the skies as the weather hots up. FAB's Taunton and South Somerset balloon ride sees takeoff from a number of locations in and around Taunton.

Hugo Hall, company cofounder and full time balloon pilot, started FAB In 2020. He said: "During Covid I was sending out some emails and I sent one to the Bath Distillery. I was looking for a sponsored hot air balloon, we designed a hot air balloon with them and they bought the balloon. 

"In the first year we took it to a few festivals like the Isle of Wight, Bristol Balloon Fiesta and a few other places. Now we generally fly it across the South West and that takes two to three people and is for private charters, it’s popular for big birthday celebrations, anniversaries and proposals are a big one."

Since launching its first balloon, FAB has added three more to its fleet, and now employs three pilots. After a number of ballooning companies were bought out by Virgin, FAB remains the only independent hot air balloon service in Devon and Somerset.

Hugo said: "We’ve now got four balloons of various sizes, one that’s branded by a company, a multicoloured one, a blue and white chequered one. We can take up to a maximum of eight people which is a lot nicer than some larger operators that take 16 in a balloon. "We offer a complimentary drink, we work with Somerset Cider Brandy, they make a really nice Somerset Pomona and Ice cider, and we offer a gin and tonic either on the flight or just after."

Previous flights have seen the balloons land on the Sheppy's estate and at the Rumwell Farm Shop.

"We fly from Taunton, Stoke St Mary, King’s Hall School, it depends on the weather. We call the flights Taunton and South Somerset balloon ride and that launches from a few different locations and the whole experience is about 3 to 4 hours long, the balloon ride itself is an hour. "It's a beautiful balloon ride, a totally different perspective, completely unique and you can drift anywhere up to three or four thousand feet, or as low as hedge hopping and clipping the tops of trees."

To find out more about Fly Away Ballooning, visit the website.