Cornwall Care charity is looking to life the spirits of its care residents with a virtual balloon race.

The event will start on April 1, taking off at Land's End, and will run through to April 8 with balloons flying either north, south, east, or west depending on the weather at the time.

Live weather data combined with advanced mathematical and physics algorithms will decide the balloons’ direction and speed as they fly virtually in what could potentially be any direction.

Each entry will cost £3 and competitors can create their own personalised balloon – deciding how much helium to fill it with, how thick the rubber should be and its colour, shape and pattern.

The entries will also be labelled so that winning balloons can be identified.

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First prize is dinner, bed and breakfast for two at the four star Alverton Hotel in Truro, second prize includes free admission for four people to the Eden Project and Hangloose Adventure ‘Skywire’ tickets and third prize is a three-course dinner for two cooked in the winner’s own home by The Cornish Chef.

Cornwall Care Head of Fundraising, Jan Burns, said: "This promises to be an exciting, interactive event that will make our imaginations take flight and soar.

"Designing and individualising the balloons is fun and competitors can follow the race online.

"With all the constraints the Covid pandemic has brought, broadening your own or someone else’s horizons in a safe, environmentally friendly way should feel really good.

"Even better, all money raised goes towards providing our residents with stimulating activities that enhance their mental and physical well-being."

For more information about the virtual balloon race, visit https://cornwallcare.rentaballoonrace.com/