EXPLORER David Hempleman-Adams, who had to abandon his bid to cross the Atlantic in a balloon, has vowed to try again next year.

He was forced to land yesterday after 27 hours because of technical difficulties.

After touching down safely on firm land in Connecticut, a weary but still upbeat David said: "I had some technical problems with the balloon equipment, which will need to be fully investigated these things happen with balloons."

Ironically, Mr Hempleman-Adams landed on a plot belonging to the parents of one of his support team and Elaine Phillips, 66, immediately rushed out with her husband Tom to give the Swindon-born explorer a cup of tea. The technical problems have now been identified as a faulty auto pilot and it was not felt safe for the flight to continue.

A spokeswoman for sponsor Chase de Vere also confirmed that David wanted to try for the crossing again next year and that the company had agreed to continue with its sponsorship.

He had been trying to set a new solo world distance record of 3,337 miles in an old-fashioned wicker balloon basket.

Flight director David Owen said a collective decision to abandon the flight had been taken in the morning.

He said: "We reached the decision after talking it over with David to bring him down because we did not want to take any undue risks.

"One of the reasons we had chosen to launch from Pittsburgh was so that the flight path would go over land for two days enabling a safe landing in the event of any technical problems.

"Safety is our first priority and there is no way we would have sent him out over the Atlantic without the autopilot to sleep for short periods, and without it a long voyage would not be physically possible."

David began his record breaking bid from Allegheny County airport near Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania at 10.49 am (BST) on Tuesday.

It ended at 1.30pm (BST) yesterday in Hebron, South East of Hartford, in Connecticut.