A RAMBLER in Germany was shocked to discover a balloon which had floated all the way from Beaconsfield.

Helga Bloch found the purple flying object in a water-filled ditch while walking her dogs near Berlin.

It was one of several hundred released during the Great Big Balloon Race held in February to raise money to repair the leaky roof at St Mary and All Saints' church in Windsor End.

A prize was offered for the balloon which travelled the furthest after being released.

Forty-five tickets were returned, but the winner was found 590 miles away by Mrs Bloch in Oberkramer, Brandenberg on February 18. The balloon is thought to have flown about 1,000 miles.

Margaret Mardall, a member of the Raise the Roof committee, said: "We never expected the winning ticket to come all the way from Germany. I thought it would be much closer to home. Helga spotted something purple lying in the water and was amazed to see from the ticket that it had travelled from England.

"I thought we would be lucky to get many tickets back, but I was amazed 45 people took the trouble of putting a stamp on it and returning them. We may do it again because it would be nice to mark the end of the appeal with it at the end of the year."

The ticket in the balloon belonged to three-year-old Sky Trethewey from Beaconsfield. Sky will attend St Mary's School next year where her five-year-old brother Jon currently studies. She was presented with a toy at the school in Maxwell Road last Wednesday.

Her family received a Waitrose hamper containing champagne and food.

The event earned about £730 towards the appeal to find £500,000 for church repairs.

A Bonhams antiques valua- tion day was held last Friday which raised £800 for the campaign.