OFFICIALS thought a charity balloon race competitor was full of hot air when he returned a reply slip to a college 19 months after the closing date.

But then they realised the helium-filled balloon, launched from Darlington College's Catterick Garrison campus, in North Yorkshire, must have been trapped in a jet-stream for more than a year before landing in Ukraine, 1,500 miles away.

Jet-streams are among the strongest winds on earth. They are found in the upper atmosphere above 32,000ft, and a balloon could be trapped in one for months, circling the globe.

Dybovoy Dmitriy, of Emilchino, found it and returned the stamped, addressed card hoping to claim the prize for the furthest distance travelled.

And he would have won too, except the deadline for the competition was September 22, 2001.

College principal John Young said: "We were amazed it came back so long after the event and from so far away.

"It shows commendable initiative on the part of the person who returned it, so we thought we would send him something for his time."

A parcel has been sent to Mr Dmitriy containing a college calculator, carrier bag, balloons and a selection of pens. With it is a letter of thanks, translated by college tutor Margit Jeavons.

The balloon was among 400 released at the college's open day to mark its second birthday, on September 8, 2001.

Mr Young said: "The first card we got back was from Barton.

"All of the others went south and we had cards returned from East Anglia, Calais, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland."

However, the balloon which travelled the furthest is thought to have been picked up by the 100mph jet-stream.

The college is planning another balloon race at this year's open day, on June 28.

"It will be fascinating to see where they end up this time," said Mr Young.