World Cup balloon gets the ball rolling

A GIANT balloon made in Bristol is touring Japan to promote thisyear's World Cup finals.

Bedminster-based Cameron Balloons has produced a football-shapedhot-air balloon for World Cup sponsor Adidas.

The 77,000 cubic foot balloon is just like the official ball to beused in this summer's tournament in Korea and Japan - except it ismore than 500,000 times bigger. A replica left Bristol for Japan lastmonth for a publicity tour - but not before Cameron test pilotLindsay Sadler carried out a test flight over the city.

Mr Sadler said: "It was inflated and flown at Ashton Court and theballoon looked fantastic."

During Christmas the balloon was attached to a pontoon in Tokyoharbour. On New Year's Day, the balloon was tethered by the World CupStadium near Sendai and yesterday and today it took pride of place atHarajuku, Tokyo, next to a Shinto shrine.

Cameron took five weeks to make the balloon, which is just under17 metres in diameter and would take 509,581 footballs to fill.