Family pay tribute to Ombersley hot air balloon crash victim

A family has paid tribute to a "natural born aviator" who died in a hot air balloon crash.

Peter Gregory, 25, from Cirencester in Gloucestershire, was killed when his balloon fell to the ground in Ombersley, Worcestershire.

Mr Gregory, known as "Pilot Pete", had previously competed in piloting competitions and won the Junior World Balloon Championships for Britain.

A fund set up in his name has raised more than £20,000.

Mr Gregory's balloon deflated before crashing in a field off Holt Fleet Road on 25 June.

His brother Dan said he had also been flying solo in his own balloon on the day of his brother's crash.

"We'd had a look at the weather and looked at the conditions and were happy to fly," he said.

"We both inflated, I was just behind him."

He then describes seeing his brother's balloon drop, realising he was descending into trees.

"I was going through quite a state having seen what was going on, and I know for a fact that my brother would have been very calm and content with what was going on and trying to go through all of the emergency procedures in his head to see how he could best get out of the position he was in," he explained.

"Sadly, it was that point that I realised that things were never going to be the same."

Their father Andrew said: "Losing a child - it's something you watch in films, it's something you read in newspapers, you watch on the news.

"I can't put it into words, it's heart-breaking. Life's never going to be the same."

Ballooning had been his late son's passion, he said, adding: "He was a natural aviator, just from sitting in the basket from the age of three and taking it all in."

Dan Gregory added: "He was always striving to be the best really as a lot of fierce competitors do."

A fund set up in Peter Gregory's name aims to help encourage others into the sport and has received donations from around the world.

"I really want to do what Pete would have wanted and this is a great opportunity to help inspire the next generation of aviators," his brother said.

"Peter was that sort of person, he always gave back, and this fund is ultimately going to be able to help others.

"Whenever he set his heart to do something he'd never give up and he was driven and determined and that's definitely something that me and my mum and my dad admired of him."

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