Video: Bristol balloon launch fiasco bring fame
A video of students from the University of the West of England (UWE) posted on the internet has been viewed thousands of times and has even attracted interest from a US TV network.
It shows them attempting to release hundreds of red helium-filled balloons, most of which float straight into a tree and burst noisily.
The video was posted on YouTube, where it has been watched more than 19,000 times, while on Liveleak.com the clip was viewed nearly 70,000 times in five days.
Yesterday thursday Chris Anthony, 24, who helps run students’ charity events at UWE’s student union, received an email from international TV network CNN, which wants to show the video.
Chris, of Stoke Gifford, said: “It was a bit embarrassing at first but now I am quite proud.”
, although it is a worrying thought that I might be remembered for releasing a load of balloons into a tree.”
The event itself took place on February 14 last year2007, but the video, named “the funniest balloon launch ever”, has only recently become so widely-viewed.
It was only the second event organised by the newly-formed Raise and Give society (RAG) at the university, and the students were raising money for Children in Need, Health Unlimited and the National Aids Trust.
Tickets were sold and each was attached to a balloon, and a prize of music vouchers was to be given to the person whose balloon travelled the furthest after being released.
In the end, one balloon did manage to escape the tree and travelled more than 100 miles from Bristol to Lymington, Hampshire.
Comment on this story