FEARS an anniversary event to record a landmark balloon flight from Oxford could be cancelled completely have been quashed after a local school stepped in to save the day.

Dave Davies and Dave Dunphy planned to release 231 balloons in Oxpens Meadow on Sunday to mark the number of years since James Sadler’s inaugural flight from the city on October 4, 1784.

He was the first Englishman to fly a hot air balloon.

Business partners Mr Davies and Mr Dunphy want to bring his name back into the spotlight, but their plans nearly crashed on Wednesday when Oxford City Council told them they could not release any balloons on its land because of a ban designed to protect wildlife.

Mr Dunphy said: “The council has a blanket ban on this. It’s such a shame but we understand and we support it.”

Due to the council ban, Mr Davies and Mr Dunphy thought the balloon release, set to be attended by more than 100 people, would have to be cancelled.

But then they struck a deal with Woodeaton Manor School, near Marston, to release the balloons there.

Headteacher Anne Pearce said: “James Sadler took off from Christ Church Meadow and landed on our school site 231 years ago. It seems like a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the history.”

Mrs Pearce was only called on Wednesday – four days before the anniversary itself.

She added: “It all happened very quickly, but we have the support from the parish too. We are starting tomorrow at 9am blowing up balloons.”

The city council has had a policy in place since 2008 that aims to stop mass balloon releases as a measure to protect wildlife.

Spokesman Tom Jennings said: “Balloons are a serious threat to wildlife.

“They can block the guts of marine wildlife and cause them to starve to death, and wildlife surveys have found birds tangled in balloon ribbon and unable to fly.

“There is also the littering impact.”

The balloons will be released at 11.30am and a large cake will be cut to celebrate James Sadler’s life.

Mr Dunphy added: “This has turned what could have been an unhappy story into a really positive one.”