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UPDATED WITH VIDEO: Anti-wind turbine protest balloon blows away
A large balloon hoisted 101m in the air to highlight the potential impact of a planned wind turbine near Aylesbury has blown away.
The red inflatable balloon became entangled in a tree and the lines connecting it with the ground broke.
Protesters intended to float the balloon above Waldridge Manor, near Ford, for three days but those plans have been cut dramatically short.
The group could not afford a back-up balloon and so the weekend’s protest has been called off.
Adam Cooper, a member of the Ford Action Group Against Turbines, said: “It’s terribly disappointing but unfortunately some things are out of our control. The tree got the better of us.”
Mr Cooper said group members would meet in the near future to discuss whether they would be able to get another balloon before the council votes on the plans on January 17 and if they could afford to buy another.
The balloon, a protest against farmer Jeremy Elgin’s plans for a turbine bigger than Big Ben at Lower Waldridge Farm, took off at around 10.30am but hit trouble battling gusting winds and soon returned to the ground. It was later returned to the skies, but became detached at around 1pm.
Opponents say the turbine will be an eyesore, create noise pollution and not generate enough electricity to make it worthwhile.
But Mr Elgin, who is personally funding the £2 million project, says this is not the case and that a lot of misinformation has been put out regarding the turbine’s impact.
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Weather for Thame
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 15 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Thunderstorm
Temperature: 13 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
