Local events organiser, Christine Legate is picking up the pieces after the Balloon Festival at Bowood, last weekend was forced to stop the balloons taking flight for a second year running due to poor Bank Holiday weather.

The huge event, which took place last week, was set to be an international success for hot air balloons until bad weather set in over the weekend.

There were around 30 balloons at the event during the weekend but only nine of those managed to fly on Friday.

The wind and poor visibility stopped balloonists from flying on Saturday and Sunday which has proved very difficult for Ms Legate, who owns CP events with her partner, Peter Harman, in Melksham, said: "I don't know if it will happen again next year because we have lost so much money both this year and last because of the poor weather.

"Its such a shame, it may happen again. It is probably worth considering changing the weekend, next year but May weather is usually good."

Last Year Bowood hosted the same event on Bank holiday weekend and the hot air balloons had to be grounded due to gail force winds.

Last weekend was not totally ruined with many events on the ground still taking place.

Nine hot air balloons took part in the evening glow on Saturday evening, while they were grounded, in the main arena.

There was also Over the Top Motorcycle stunts and Chariots of Fire, which were also stunts.

A parachute jump was also planned at Bowood but the wind prevented it from taking place.

Ms Legate added: "The event would have been huge if it wasn't for the weather. So many more people would have turned up.

"This is our one event of the year, we used to do around nine events a year but since the foot and mouth we haven't been able to do all of the events."

She is quite happy to do these events without making much profit, but doesn't think she can carry on with such big losses. Hot air balloon events give her satisfaction when she sees people's reaction to these events.

The businesswoman is sad that she may not be able to host this event at Bowood again.

She said: "I don't do these events for the money, but more for the satisfaction of seeing people's faces when they are so close up to the balloons.

"Just to see the pleasure on someone's face is enough for me but we can't keep doing these events with the money we have lost."