A HELIUM balloon released by a Garnant youngster travelled 2,000km before landing in the Czech Republic.

Keiran Vobe turned five on July 25 and following his birthday party his mum and dad, Leygh and Tony, decided to mark the occasion by letting off a balloon with a note attached to see how far it would get.

Little day they know it would reach the Kaproun national reserve in the Czech Republic.

“A few years ago we found a balloon in our back garden which had a note attached, that’s where the idea came from,” said Leygh.

“We thought the furthest the balloon would get would be Brynaman, so we were in complete shock to find one had reached the Czech Republic.”

The family were given the news just over a week after Keiran’s birthday when they received a text informing them of its incredible journey.

Zoologist Milan Rezac along with his microbiologist wife Veronika and three children Martina, Klára and Pavla were visiting the nature reserve two hours from their Prague home when they made the discovery.

“We found the balloon on July 31 in a small meadow surrounded by forestry. If it had landed on a tree nobody would have found it,” said Milan.

Assuming a direct route, the balloon crossed the English Channel, Belgium, Germany and Czechia, some 2,000km.

“Interestingly the label has not been soaked,” said Milan.

“It seems that the balloon avoided rain. It would be interesting to know what the weather was between South Wales and South Czechia during July 25 to 31. If there was rain it could mean the balloon travelled above clouds.”

Coincidentally Milan told the Guardian that at the time of the discovery he was reading his children a story entitled Nicole Lesueur: Tajemství zlutého balónku – The secret of the yellow balloon.

It tells how two children find a balloon with a message from a girl named Helen, and centres on their efforts to find her.

“It is an incredible coincidence that I read this book to my monkeys at the time of the discovery. Without it we would not have been motivated to search for the balloon’s origin.”

Back in Garnant, Leygh and Tony said they were overjoyed to receive a text from a British colleague of Milan’s, who helped with the search.

“We couldn’t believe it when we found out where it had gone – we have since exchanged emails and photos of each other’s family,” said Leygh.

“Years ago lots of people had pen-pals, but that seems to have fizzled out. We are so pleased to have made contact with this lovely family who were thoughtful enough to get in touch.”