IT was a glorious July day in 1986 when the then Evening Telegraph picture editor John Napier got the call asking him if he’s like to be part of a four balloon flight over Darwen.

As any good photographer would, he jumped at the chance and here we reproduce some of the pictures that he took on the day.

The balloon carrying John lifted off first allowing him to get the photo of the other three ready to go from their temporary base at the playing field belonging to the Dame Evelyn Fox Special School at Blackamoor.

Lancashire Telegraph: Balloons flying over Hoddlesden, 1986Balloons flying over Hoddlesden, 1986

One photo shows pilot Bob Jones just clearing the rooftops of houses in Hoddlesden in his Holker Hall balloon.

He probably gave a few of the villagers a fright by coming in so close and certainly a few of them stopped in the street to watch him fly by.

Lancashire Telegraph: The Waterside mill tile factory from the air, 1986The Waterside mill tile factory from the air, 1986

You can also see a bird's eye view of the ceramics factory belonging to Shaw’s at Waterside and the lodge which provided water to the factory which was established in 1897. It is only from the air that you can fully appreciate what a feat of engineering this was to build with its large dam and overflow.