RADLETT schoolchildren are flying high after their helium balloon hit its target in Germany.
The pupils from Radlett Preparatory School, in Watling Street, won the Met Office Balloon Challenge for the furthest travelling balloon in a Science Week experiment.
Their balloon travelled all the way to Bundorf in line with the Met Office's predicted flight path.
More than 100 schools across the UK released the biodegradable, helium-filled balloons in the challenge.
The event was an experiment conducted to help demonstrate air molecule dispersion to children.
The balloons simulated air molecules and the children used atmospheric forecast data on the Met Office web site to predict where their balloons would eventually land.
The Met Office used its Name model, which is used to predict air molecule dispersion, to determine that the balloons would take a flight path over south-east Germany.
Mr Wayne Warren, headteacher at Radlett Prep School, said: "We predicted that the balloons we released would land in Germany.
"So we were delighted that our prediction was accurate and that somebody took the trouble to send the tag back to the Met Office."
Met Office education development manager Jacquie Syvret said: "The Met Office works to bring science alive for people of all ages.
"Thanks to a very simple experiment, schools have gained a valuable insight into the science employed every day at the Met Office to prepare weather forecasts."
June 7, 2002 12:00
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