SIX passengers got more than they bargained for when the winching system for the Bournemouth Balloon developed an electrical fault late on Thursday afternoon.

Instead of spending the usual 15 minutes taking in the views of the town and seafront, they ended up stuck above Bournemouth Gardens for about two hours in clear but chilly conditions as staff struggled to fix the problem.

Eventually, the tethered balloon was brought back down to earth, much to the relief of the occupants. Andreina Martinez, who is studying English in the town, was accompanied by her father – who had just arrived from Venezuela – and a friend.

“It was getting cold,” she said.

University student Mishaal Albuaynin from Saudi Arabia said: “I’ve been in Bournemouth for two years. That was my first and last time in the balloon.”

Another student said he had enjoyed the first 15 minutes of the flight. “The next one hour 45 minutes, no.” All the passengers had their ticket prices refunded.

No-one from S & D Leisure was available for comment.