When a hot air balloon crash landed into Mark Whitewood’s childhood garden, little did he know it would spark a lifelong passion for the unusual form of air travel.

But the Bovingdon-based estate agent says he has become a ballooning fanatic, so much so he plans to cross the English Channel to raise money for charity and set a world record.

The father-of-one, who lives in Ryder Close, Bovingdon, said: “From when I first saw a hot air balloon in my garden at about eight, I have been mad for them. It’s more than just a hobby - I’m a ‘ballooney’.

“I received my private pilot’s licence in 2003, bought my hot air balloon the G-Padi shortly after, and haven’t looked back since.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be up in the air, thousands of feet above the ground, there really is nothing like it.”

Mr Whitewood, 33, will be crossing the channel in his £8,000, multi-coloured balloon, along with 74 other ballooning pilots.

Scheduled to set off from Lydden Hill Race Circuit in Kent on Thursday, from about 6am, they plan to cross the waters in an hour.

This is not the first time Mr Whitewood has crossed the English Channel, but it will be made all the more poignant for him as the trip will celebrate 50 years since the first modern air balloon flight.

He will be raising money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the Harlow Project, Marie Curie, and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

It will also be the first time that 75 hot air balloons will cross the channel, setting a world record.

Mr Whitewood said: “Weather is always a factor when it comes to ballooning, so if conditions are dreary, then we will have to postpone the trip – it’s already been rescheduled as it is.

“In terms of safety all of the pilots will have radio controls to ensure we’re crossing and not crashing into the sea.

“Bit of a scary thought heading into the waters – especially when you consider it’s got one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

“But it’s great to be part of celebrations, to set a record, and of course to be helping charities in the process. It will be a fantastic sight to see.”