They've found a landing site.

This is just 3 in the last few weeks, i find so many -  some come tagless, i imagine, lost let go of by accident catching a breeze and taking flight to get popped by thorns, caught in trees and snared on fences somewhere on the farm. A silver one i met once, one winters day had a small amount of helium left and was slowly beautifully floating, ribbon in tow, across the top of ploughing. Occasionally they come with messages - "if found please return to ? and perhaps we will win the competition." I never hear so i presume we never do.

The latest, was the red one below. Found burst at the rivers edge, when i was looking for sheep. I went to photo it, as i do them all, and only then noticed it had a fine felt tipped message drawn over it. I could only make out one side - A smiley face and then a post code - WA8 7XG. I thought Warwickshire, not that far really from me, mostly they never come far, the ones with messages at least, who knows about the others? But when i turned it over to look for more it was

shot through. At home Mum and I searched the postcode, but it was a whole street, we needed a precise address. We got the sellotape out and stuck it all gently back together. Finally we revealed the message  -  I'm Leah Ella + Ruby if you find plz send us back. Then no more. We looked at Google maps, we did a Street View, we searched for the nearest school or community building, we wondered who might know that   Leah, Ella and Ruby were missing. Nothing was obvious.

WA8 7XG is in Widnes near Liverpool. I am in South Lincolnshire, a 133 miles apart by car - its made a huge trip this little balloon, the furthest of any i've ever found. But where do i send them, will the postman know, will the man at 34 know his neighbours and will he be like us - keen to get the news of their find announced.... i dont know what to do, should i call the paper, the police, can facebook help?

 
So why is this my off the beaten track - because of what I said to Mum as we tried hard to see a clue  - who'd have thought we'd be looking at a strange street in Widnes this afternoon because of a balloon.