A BALLOON released from a north Hampshire hotel ended up in a village near the border between France and Switzerland.

The balloon travelled more than 660 miles from Tylney Hall Hotel, in Ridge Lane, Rotherwick, to the French village of La Combe de Sillingy, some 25 miles from the border with Switzerland.

The couple who picked up the balloon, Mr and Mrs Verboux Phillippe, have been rewarded for their find with a free overnight stay at the hotel.

The balloons were released as part of the hotel’s Christmas celebrations last year, and each one had a message explaining that there was a prize for the balloon that travels the furthest.

One was picked up by a four-year-old girl in Paris, who, after getting in touch with the hotel, will receive a Tylney Duck cuddly toy.

Mark Robinson, general manager at Tylney Hall, said: “We thought it would be a lovely idea to release festive balloons and find out how far they could travel.

“We are so surprised that one of them nearly made it to Switzerland. We look forward to welcoming the winning couple when they claim their prize.”