A PLUMBER with a passion for hot air ballooning has been dragged back to earth by planning regulations.

Father-of-two John Harris fell in love with the pastime eight years ago and splashed out on his own balloon to further his ambition to fly more.

He travelled from his Stalbridge home to Newbury for night classes every week for 22 weeks - a round trip of 175 miles - as he studied for his qualification.

"Then it took three years to get the licence," said Mr Harris, 42.

"It's quite a difficult problem. There's lots of paper work and you have to build up your flying hours."

At first he kept the gas tank needed to fill the balloon at his parents' house in the village.

After their death he bought a piece of land about 100 metres away on the edge of the village where he planned to keep the tank.

It is 1.8 metres long, 1.3 metres tall and one metre wide - the same size as a domestic container for homes not on the gas mains.

The parish council raised no objections provided highway officers were happy and no mature trees were felled.

But North Dorset District Council turned down planning permission, saying it contradicted their policies on settlements and on the environment because it is a proposal in the open countryside.

"It's down a dead-end lane that doesn't go anywhere," added Mr Harris.

"I want to do everything by the book - I could dig it in the ground or put a fence round it.

"It's liquid propane. Out here in the countryside thousands of houses have it for heating and cooking."

Mr Harris is taking the matter to appeal which will be decided on the exchange of written statements.

First published: August 19, 2005