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It may sound like a lot of hot air but a balloon gifted to a Glenrothes woman is still flying high after two decades.

Mary Wallace, 64, was given the helium-inflated foil bear as a get well present in October 1995.

The grandmother, from the Pitcoudie area of the town, had undergone a hip replacement operation at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy when she was gifted the inflatable by her eldest daughter Michelle.

Having helped to raise her spirits as she recuperated, the balloon returned home with Mrs Wallace, where it has remained in perfect condition ever since.

“We were cleaning the house the other day and my daughter mentioned it,” she told The Courier.

“When I brought it home from hospital at first I kept it in a plant pot but now it is on top of the tumble dryer.

“When I put the dryer on I always move it as I don’t want it to fly off.”

The balloon was purchased at the hospital’s WRVS shop and having outlasted the first plant it was placed alongside, now sits next to an orchid in Mrs Wallace’s kitchen.

Though helium balloons can lift spirits for a few weeks, that sinking feeling soon sets in as the gas slowly escapes from gaps in the foil.

However, should the balloon be perfectly sealed then there is no reason for the inflatable to lose its shape, regardless of age.

Sadly for most people who purchase a balloon, small gaps in the material are commonplace, with most crashing back to earth after just a few weeks.

However, Mrs Wallace, who lives with husband Douglas, 65, says the longevity of her bear, simply referred to as “the Balloon”, means it has earned a special place in her heart.

“The only thing that is different now from when I got it is that it is now on a cane,” added Mrs Wallace.

“I suppose it has become part of the family.”Madeto lastIt was just the other day I was boring my fiance with the story of the 14-year-old batteries that power my alarm clock, writes Jonathan Watson.

From my first day at university to this moment in time that faithful lump of plastic has never missed a beat thanks to those two brave little AAs.

Think what has happened in that time: the Iraq War, the advent of social media, three general elections, four World Cups, and yet they’re still going strong.

I always thought that this was quite impressive, but upon hearing of the 20-year-old balloon in Glenrothes, it turns out that I’m not the only person who has been pleasantly surprised by the longevity of seeminglydisposable items.

The chatter in the office soon turned to stories of 30-year-old shoes, electrical appliances that predate my birth, and slabs of cake from weddings long ago.

In an age of almost hysterical consumerism, where cars and televisions are replaced on a whim, it is nice to know that some things are still made to last.

Photo by George McLuskie