Like many newborn babies, Zach Starr was bought a balloon to mark the day of his birth.

Eastern Daily Press: Zachary Starr, with the balloon that was bought for him on the day he was born - and still has 21 years later. Picture: Louise StarrZachary Starr, with the balloon that was bought for him on the day he was born - and still has 21 years later. Picture: Louise Starr (Image: Louise Starr)

The blue balloon, which proudly reads ‘It’s A Boy’ was purchased by his father on the day he was brought into the world - June 9... 1999.

Two decades later and the memento is still going strong, with the family claiming it has not lost any size since the day it was born.

As the University of East Anglia student prepares to celebrate his 21st birthday on Tuesday, the balloon is still inflated and still takes pride of position in his Kent home.

MORE: Some good news at last: The return of Norwich MarketMr Starr, who studies actuarial science at the university, said: “It is quite a fun little ice-breaker to tell people about - there can’t be many 21-year-old balloons out there.

Eastern Daily Press: Zachary Starr, with the balloon that was bought for him on the day he was born - and still has 21 years later. Picture: Louise StarrZachary Starr, with the balloon that was bought for him on the day he was born - and still has 21 years later. Picture: Louise Starr (Image: Louise Starr)

“I would be devastated if it were to ever pop.”

Louise Starr, his mother, said: “My husband just came in with it after I gave birth and at the time we just didn’t think to take a photograph of it. We’re not even sure if it’s filled with helium or just one that has been blown up but it’s the same size it ever was.

“It sits on the side in Zach’s bedroom and we just have to dust it every so often. Nothing has changed about it.”

MORE: Dad jokes chapter 12 to give you a lockdown laughMrs Starr estimates that the defiant decoration, which features a picture of a teddy bear, is around 10 inches in size and cost less than £3 when they bought it at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

She added: “To start with we just kept it because you do keep those things for a little while, but it then reached a point that we just wanted to see how long it would last. We’re not planning to throw it away any time soon - it is so cool that it has lasted as long as it has.

“People find it rather amusing that we still have it, but we’re never going to get rid of it - we want to see how long it lasts.

“Some people maybe keep their child’s favourite teddy or something like that - we have the balloon.”