Last year the Cub Pack at Aston Ingham won the EnviroAbility competition to collect aluminium foil for recycling and last week they claimed their prize, a trip in a hot air balloon.

The cubs had a fantastic time. They've not stopped talking about it and showing the photos that they took in the air.

The flight departure changed to Holme Lacy due to northerly winds, so they took off from the Home Lacy House Hotel, with a lot of the guests watching, and headed off over Hoarwithy, Ganarew and landed just west of Monmouth. They were in the air for a good hour and a half. The highest they went was 2,500 feet and the fastest was 12mph. The cubs said that a lot of people came out of their houses and waved at them, which they enjoyed. They also saw a lot of wild deer during the flight and lots of big houses.

Christine Long of Trot Farm, Monmouth was very pleased to hear that the balloon was full of cubs when it landed in her field.

EnviroAbility organised the competition with Alupro and Herefordshire Council to encourage people to recycle foil because the new co-mingled recycling system could not accept foil.

A year long competition for schools or youth groups involved collecting sacks of foil. This was then weighed and the group which collected most foil per young person won the prize of a hot air balloon flight. The cubs were thrilled with their prize and said that it was an experience they will never forget.