COUPLE LEFT QUAKING FROM BALLOON’S MORNING VISIT

A COUPLE in Melbourne’s east thought an earthquake had rocked their home when a hot-air balloon came crashing into their backyard yesterday.

The balloon, carrying 11 passengers, came down in Vermont South about 8am. Global Ballooning pilot Brian Garth said a wind change had forced the emergency landing.

The sunrise flight, with Nova 100 branding, was supposed to land at Moorabbin.

“Everybody is fine,” Mr Garth said. “We just had a bit of a wind change.”

Mr Garth steered the balloon basket into Terrara Park before wind picked the balloon up and blew it into Christine and Malcolm Taylor’s backyard.

Mrs Taylor’s morning tea in bed was loudly interrupted when she heard a “cracking” outside her window.

“I jumped up and all I could see was this great big red and white balloon hurtling through the trees,” she said.

It came just moments after another balloon carrying eight people was forced to land in Wantirna South.

Picture: ANDREW HENSHAW Christine Taylor inspects the hot air balloon that made an emergency landing in her Melbourne yard yesterday morning.