Flugtag aviators in Leeds for flying event

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-leeds-14183145

Version 0 of 1.

Amateur aviators from across the country gathered at Roundhay Park in Leeds to compete in a human-powered flying event.

A team from Leeds won after creating a flying machine which took its inspiration from the film Toy Story.

Two men from Barnsley who built a flying machine inspired by the town's most famous film, Kes, came second.

About 35 teams pitted their wits against each other to see whose machine could fly the greatest distance.

The record for the furthest flight at a Flugtag event stands at 63.09m which was set in Minnesota, USA last year.

The winning team in Leeds, To Infinity And The Pond, took first prize which is a choice between £5,000 or flying lessons to gain a private pilot's licence.

Although the team's distance travelled was so small that it was not measured the judges decided the team's overall effort was a "hilarious creative idea".

Thousands of spectators headed for the event to watch teams launch their contraptions from a 20ft (6m) high ramp above Roundhay Lake.

Among the Yorkshire entrants were Paul Woodcock and Keiron Clarke, from Barnsley, who crafted a 26ft (8m) wide kestrel perched on an arm.

Leeds-based team, Mr Whippy And His Team Of Toppings came in third place after basing their human-flying machine them on ice cream.

Meanwhile, James Chapman, Ben Parish, Roz Laux and Hannah Walker were the Leeds team who designed a UFO-like James and the Giant Yorkshire Pudding.