A hot air balloon pilot from Petworth has recreated history by flying over one of the UK's most famous landmarks – Stonehenge. Richard Ashford followed in the footsteps of the pioneers of aerial archaeology by flying a Virgin balloon above the unmistakable stone circle in Wiltshire on Saturday. The flight was part of a major English Heritage exhibition marking the centenary of the first aerial photographs of Stonehenge taken in 1906 by Lieutenant Phillip Henry Sharpe, from the Royal Engineers' balloon section. Mr Ashford managed three short flights in the three-man balloon, lifting off from near the ancient stones, so English Heritage archaeologists could take their own updated aerial shots.

Source: Chichester Observer (10 August 2006)