IT is up, up and away again for a Hampshire adventurer hoping to set a sky-high world record - but not until next year.

Colin Prescot has pencilled in another bid to fly a balloon to the edge of space for the summer of 2005.

The 53-year-old commercial pilot and his partner Andy Elson were forced to abandon two previous attempts to make history.

Poor weather foiled their proposed 25-mile ascent in 2002 and last summer their helium balloon's thin material tore before take-off

Mr Prescot, of Stockbridge, said the pair were determined to try again but did not have enough time to be ready for a launch this year.

He said: "There are always ways we can improve and there's no need for us to rush into our next attempt.

"This has always been a truly British venture, backed by a great British science company. That's not going to change and with our experience gained last September we're aiming for a win next time."

Mr Elson, from Glastonbury, Somerset, who is also project director, added that the team had now identified the problems and were this year making improvements ready for another attempt to break the world manned balloon altitude record in 2005.

He said: "I've spent the last few months with my engineering team investigating what went wrong and asking how we can do things differently next time."

The balloonists, who chose St Ives, Cornwall, for their 2003 attempt, will also investigate alternative launch sites to increase their chances of success.

Stephen Cooke, spokesman for Glastonbury-based sponsor company QinetiQ, added the company would continue to support the pair in their venture.

He said: "QinetiQ remains the principal backer of the project and supports the pilots in their aim to reach the edge of space in a manned balloon, breaking a 40-year- old world record and claiming it for Britain."

The 2003 world record bid, described by Mr Elson as a "day trip to space", was expected to last between nine and 12 hours. The pilots were to be attached to the giant helium balloon on an open gondola wearing specially-designed space suits to withstand the extreme cold.