THERE was an unusual spectacle over Windermere this week when a hot air balloon on a pleasure trip got a tow from an unexpected source.

Fascinated spectators watched as the balloon flew over the lake where it appeared to slow almost to a stop, before being helped across with a tow from two boats, reports Michaela Robinson-Tate.

Anne Boardman, and her husband Thomas, from Wrightington, near Wigan, were in their 18-feet cabin cruiser, Sea Bird, when they spotted the balloon flying low.

Mrs Boardman said: "He (the pilot) threw us a line, we tied it on the boat, and dragged him right across the lake."

At one point the couple had difficulty controlling Sea Bird and were joined by a second boat.

Mrs Boardman said: "My husband's 65 and I'm 64 so it was quite an adventure for us."

The balloon, from Bowness-based High Adventure Balloon Flights, was being piloted by Martin Casson.

Mr Casson said he had been flying up the lake with nine passengers on board when the wind dropped, as often happened during the evening.

"We were tracking across the lake from west to east very slowly, and would have got across under our own steam, but there was a man underneath watching us in a boat, who asked if it would it help if they took a line and assisted our progress across.

"It's unusual, I suppose, to see a balloon attached to a boat and being helped across the lake but there was no risk, and no panic or drama."

Mr Casson said the Cockshott Point landing was controlled.

Passenger Jean McClellan from Heysham, who was with her father, Bill Munro from Lancaster, celebrating his 90th birthday, described the experience as "magnificent".