GAZETTE & HERALD: Adventurer David Hempleman-Adams from Box was looking for a fresh challenge after claiming a new world altitude record by ascending more than eight miles in a hot air balloon.

The 47-year-old balloonist, mountaineer and polar explorer landed safely in a Colorado field after reaching approximately 43,000ft in a balloon with an open wicker basket. And a copy of the Gazette made the journey too.

Before leaving Mr Hempleman Adams said "It will be nice for the Gazette to be part of the adventure."

Mr Hempleman-Adams endured temperatures as low as minus 80 degrees Celsius and breathed oxygen to cope with the thin air during the record-breaking flight which lasted about three and a half hours.

Speaking afterwards he said he was tired, and looking forward to going home, but was already contemplating his next challenge.

"I would still like to fly over Everest one day and will never say never to a challenge," the explorer said.

"I am a pragmatic person and if your number is up it's up.

"But you can take precautions to minimalise risks and this team work well together."

Mr Hempleman-Adams spent the evening celebrating with the team, which is confident it has broken the record but is still waiting for official confirmation.

He said: "This is a fantastic record, everything went perfectly and I think I have broken eight world records including the absolute altitude record for a Roziere balloon. I never expected to reach that height."

But the explorer said he did not dare look out of the basket.

"It was so cold about minus 80 degrees Celsius. The wind speeds were high and I was too nervous to look down at the view.

"It was pretty scary and I was concentrating on getting back down. I could see the jet lines below me."

The father-of-three described the landing in a field 10 miles north east of Akron as one of his best.

He landed before 10.15am local time (5.13pm GMT) in the Roziere, which has an open basket.

The Mears Altitude Challenge Team first heard the explorer had smashed the current altitude record of 35,626ft in a crackly radio transmission about two hours after the dawn launch.

Flight director Tim Cole said he believed Mr Hempleman-Adams had succeeded in his record bid but that official confirmation could take months.

Nicki Webster, personal assistant to Mr Hempleman-Adams at his Corsham firm Global Resins, said he would not flying back to the UK until Tuesday because of business.

"He did not know he would be attempting it so quickly and he was expecting to wait out there a bit longer. But he is flying to New York from Denver for appointments on Monday and he will fly back home from there," she said.

Sgt Jon Stivers of Colorado police saw the balloon land.

He said: "I saw the balloon appear out of the clouds and land in the middle of a gigantic field.

"I went straight over and saw Mr Hempleman-Adams sitting on the edge of the basket looking very happy."

The launch from Greeley, north of Denver, took place a day earlier than expected due to the good weather conditions and Mr Hempleman-Adams said he was relieved it was now over.

"I arrived in Colorado on Monday expecting to do the launch on either Wednesday or Thursday but I was told by the team it was going to happen on Tuesday.

"So it was all a bit of a rush. I really didn't have too long to think about it although I didn't sleep a wink last night."

The explorer believes he broke the current Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) record, which was set by Per Lindstrand in November 1996.

His main worry ahead of the flight was that his oxygen equipment would break due to the extreme temperatures.

Although one oxygen bottle did freeze during the flight, two back-up bottles remained intact.

But the latest altitude challenge may have caused the explorer unexpected difficulties as American officials are currently investigating whether he was issued with a US licence for the hot-air balloon flight, and whether he was in restricted airspace.

A spokesman for the flight team claimed all proper permissions were obtained. However the flight team did admit that the record attempt was almost aborted one hour into the flight after problems arose with air traffic control in Denver. Not all the agencies in the area were aware of the flight taking place but after some confusion the situation was rectified, according to Mr Cole.

Barbara Morton, a record observer from the FAI, has presented the preliminary temperature and barometer readings from the flight to the governing body of world air sports.

These will then be examined by the FAI before the new world record can be confirmed.

Mr Hempleman-Adams travelled in a 3ft by 5ft wicker basket. The AM-08 Roziere balloon is 140ft high.