A Bedford businessman is taking to the skies this weekend ... but is likely to come crashing down to earth very soon afterwards.

Engineer Bobby Frankham will be launching himself and his 'flying machine' from a platform six metres above The Serpentine lake in London's Hyde Park on Saturday at the annual Red Bull Flugtag event.

Mr Frankham, owner of Automotive Manufacturer Inspection Services Ltd, based at Thurleigh Business Park, said: "I'll call my performance a success if I walk away from it!"

Each year since 2003, 80,000 people have flocked to the event to see the creative contraptions our nation's fearless have invented.

Not to be outdone by the Extreme Trifle, the Yellow Submarine or the Flying Fruit Cart, Bobby's team, The Mary Poppins Fan Club, will be jumping into the unknown beneath a pyramid of 44 golfing umbrellas.

The design came from a moment of inspiration one night in a pub, and was initially modelled using a number of cocktail umbrellas.

He said: "I've had a few people tell me how they think I'll do, and none of them seem very optimistic.

"We've run the maths and at best I think we'll be in the air for three-quarters of a second ... and at worst a quarter.

"Still – it should be fun!"

The 41 teams will be judged on distance flown and level of creativity. Points will also be awarded for the entertainment value of the pre-flight performance, an area where the Mary Poppins Fan Club is hoping to make up ground.

Mr Frankham added: "While I'm dressed up as Mary Poppins, we've got two penguins and a chimney sweep who'll be doing a bit of a dance on the platform. That should get the crowd going.

"And considering umbrellas aren't really designed to travel forward, I don't think we'll do too well on the distance travelled, so it's best we do all we can to make up those extra points."

The event will be judged by a panel of celebrities including Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel-Horwood and glamour model Jodie Kidd.
Highlights from the Red Bull Flugtag 2008 event will be broadcast on ITV4 on Sunday, June 15 at 4.30pm.