Flying high: The female pilot celebrating 30 years at Bristol Balloon Fiesta

"Bristol's so welcoming to balloons - it's part of the fabric of the city," says Jo Bailey, who is celebrating her 30th visit to Bristol International Balloon Fiesta this year.

For the 63-year-old, the non-for-profit event is a firm fixture of the ballooning calendar.

"It's such a special event," she said. "Even if you're a seasoned balloonist. When you take off with all the other balloons, you just can't help but be excited."

Ms Bailey first flew at the fiesta in August 1994 and has returned every year since, but her first ascent was far from ordinary.

Alongside her now-husband Clive Bailey, she set the record for the highest distance flown out of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta - a record which remains unbroken.

Ms Bailey said: "The first year I was here, we flew up to 22,500ft - we had to wear oxygen masks and everything.

"I remember it got really cold up there. I felt so small - you're in this tiny little wooden basket and everything is so minute when you're up that high.

She added: "I remember being quite shaky when we came down. It was quite a feat."

Despite being a record-holder, Ms Bailey said she had "to hold her own" when flying in the mid-nineties.

"I was one of only about five commercial balloonists in the nineties who were women," she said.

"Like women in a lot of professions, I felt like you had to earn and prove your ability over and above - that you are a good pilot, that you do know what you're doing and what you're talking about.

"It took quite a long time to establish that."

Ms Bailey acknowledged more women are involved in ballooning now, but said it's still "male dominated" and wants to see more women give it a go.

"I think women are naturally very good pilots," she said. "Women are very good at multi-tasking, and if you're good at multitasking, you'll be good at ballooning."

Ms Bailey said she quit a very well-paid job to become a full-time balloon pilot, going on to set up Bailey Balloons with her husband Clive.

Over the course of her career, she has flown balloons all around the world, including over the Alps in Switzerland and above the temples in Myanmar.

She has also helped mastermind a series of impressive stunts - all of which have pushed the limits of what you can do with a balloon.

Some of the more memorable acts include flying a motorbike under a balloon with someone riding it and then parachuting off, and a blindfolded tightrope walk at 4000ft.

However, Ms Bailey's flight to mark 30 years at the fiesta was far more understated.

"I flew with my daughter Rosie during Sunday morning's mass ascent and Clive crewed, a true family affair," she said.

"I was flying the Changsha balloon and we landed at North Somerset Show Ground along with a load of other balloons. It was a great flight."