
It looks like a British hot air balloonist has drifted into the record books by flying over all 48 mainland US states.

Andrew Holly, 42, of Totterdown in Bristol travelled 15,000 miles in 33 days. He launched a huge red balloon from a different state each day to complete the impressive feat, smashing the current world record of 11 states.

The adventurer recruited the help of a meteorologist who travelled with him to ensure the balloon bypassed bad weather.

Andrew Holly, 42, of Totterdown in Bristol, launched the huge red balloon from a different state each day to complete the impressive feat. Pictured: ballooon flying over London bridge in Lake Havasu in Arizona

Holly smashed the current world record of 11 states by travelling 15,000 miles in 33 days on his trip across the US mainland states. Pictured being towed in land at Lake Havasu in Arizona

The adventurer from Bristol recruited the help of a meteorologist who travelled with him to ensure the balloon bypassed bad weather

Pictured flying over a meteor crater in Arizona, Holly drove around 600 miles - the distance from Bristol to Edinburgh - between flights

He took off from Louisiana on February 10 and carried out 48 separate flights, touching down in Nebraska on Monday- 33 days, one hour and 11 minutes later.

Between flights he drove around 600 miles - the distance from Bristol to Edinburgh - to get between the states, and managed just four hours sleep per night.

Holly, who is a British national champion balloonist and ranked 17th in the world for competition ballooning, said: 'It has been incredible. I have seen some amazing sights.'

Holly took off from Louisiana on February 10 and carried out 48 separate flights, touching down in Nebraska on Monday. Pictured: the balloon flying over Albuquerque in New Mexico

Pictured flying above Idaho in the US, Holly said his passion for hot air balloons developed as a child, when he would run outside to see them flying over his house in Bristol

Holly, who is a British national champion balloonist and ranked 17th in the world for competition ballooning, said: 'It has been incredible. I have seen some amazing sights.'

Holly, who is the director of Exclusive Ballooning in Berkeley, added: 'We were so lucky because nature gave us the exact conditions we needed'

As well as beating the world record, the pilot became the second person ever to take off from the breathtaking art installation Cadillac Ranch in Texas. He also took off from the Meteor Crater in Arizona, a huge, well-preserved meteorite impact site.

Holly, who is the director of Exclusive Ballooning in Berkeley, added: 'We were so lucky because nature gave us the exact conditions we needed.

'I have seen everything during my trip from the border to Mexico all the way over to Canada.'

The balloon stands outside the Dunleith Historic Inn at Natchez in Mississippi in the US as it prepares to take off for another flight

As well as beating the world record, the pilot became the second person ever to take off from the breathtaking art installation Cadillac Ranch in Texas (above)

Holly said when he found out that the most American states anyone had managed to fly over in a month was 11, he decided to beat the record

Holly, who completed his quest this week, is now en route to Alaska and plans to fly over Hawaii so he can say he has flown overall 50 states

Andrew developed his passion for hot air balloons as a child, when he would run outside to see them flying over his house in Bristol. When he found out that the most American states anyone had managed to fly over in a month was 11, he decided to beat the record.

He said: 'I was pretty confident I would beat that but never thought I'd managed all 48 in 33 days.'

Holly is now en route to Alaska and plans to fly over Hawaii so he can say he has flown over all 50 states. His achievement will be entered into the Guinness World Records after inspectors double-check his GPS tracking.

Each of the 48 flights lasted at least 15 minutes and were up to an hour and a half long, depending on the flying conditions.

Holly's enormous achievement is set to be entered into the Guinness World Records after inspectors double-check his GPS tracking

Each of Holly's 48 flights lasted at least 15 minutes and were up to an hour and a half long, depending on the flying conditions

Crew chief Martin Rooke follows Holly in the retrieve vehicle during his flight to ensure he is close by if the hot air balloonist got into trouble