Norwegian surprise for Nottingham schoolboy
IT wasn't herring or salmon that a Norwegian man netted on his fishing expedition but a balloon from a Nottingham schoolboy.
The balloon, released in Bestwood, travelled more than 1,000 miles, landing just outside the Arctic Circle.
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Norwegian surprise: Robin Hood Primary School pupil Lemar Lewis, seven, whose balloon from a charity race was found in the sea by a Norwegian fisherman just off the coast of Norway. Below: The letter from Norway.
Picture: DUSTIN MICHAILOVS C210710DAM1-1
It was found floating in the sea by Jostein Hansen, off the coast of Sandnessjoen, a town on the island of Alsten.
The balloon belonged to Lemar Lewis, a seven-year-old pupil at Robin Hood Primary School.
Lemar, who won £25 for having the balloon which travelled the furthest in the school's charity race, said: "It was a surprise. I let my balloon off by accident before they said 'Go' and a teacher said that it might be the winning one."
Hundreds of balloons were released by pupils in the grounds of the school on July 2.
Lemar's white balloon was found two weeks later on July 16.
Eighteen have been recovered so far. Five made it less than a mile away in Bestwood Park. Others have been spotted in Arnold, Newark, Sutton-on-Sea and East Riding, near Hull.
Head teacher Jo Bell said: "Lemar's balloon travelled 1,020 miles as the crow flies. It's very impressive.
"It's also amazing as it's such a sparsely populated area. We have looked on Google Earth and the area is beautiful.
"When we got some back from Sutton-on-Trent and Hull I was a bit disappointed as I thought most would end up in the North Sea and wouldn't go any further but this one went in a different direction."
The school received a handwritten letter from Jostein detailing where the balloon was found.
A Post-it note with the name of Lemar's class was still attached to the balloon's label despite travelling so far.
Pupils have sent thank you letters and a golden arrow pen to everyone who found balloons.
The balloon race raised £184 towards the school's tree house project.
Building work on the foundations of the unusual classroom will begin during the summer holidays.
The Post revealed last month how the classroom – thought to be the only one of its kind in the UK – is part of a £2 million redevelopment at the school, in Beckhampton Road.
Pupils have been instrumental in the design – which has a strong Robin Hood theme – and come September, 25 children will be working with one of the artists to produce decorations for the balustrade.
5 Comments
by m, gedling
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 10:27PM
“if we tied litter to these balloons just think of the money we could save in landfil taxes”
by onlooker, doing the funnies
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 10:22PM
“Finally why did the city council allow this to happen?
because she was out on forest road earning a living ?”
by Oropendula, Rise Park
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 8:11PM
“I trust that the teacher who thought that it would be a good idea to litter a beautiful area in Georgia, the North Sea and various locations in England with balloons is no longer employed. He/she should be made to watch the film of a leartherback turtle which ingested a balloon and then set about recovering the many balloons as yet unlocated.
It is a pity that this article appeared next to the one on the sterling work being undertaken by the NWT.
I suggest that the article available at www.ukrivers.net/balloon_fact.html should be shown to each of the participants.
Finally why did the city council allow this to happen?”
by T, Notts
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 7:50PM
“Stop trying to steal this little lads thunder!”
by jennifer hindson, cotgrave
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 5:43PM
“the same happened to my brothers ball about 35 years ago, it went in the sea on the east coast and a gentleman from norway sent it back in a box - still flated, the evening post reported on this story aswell - amazing”