A Hamilton youngster’s Christmas wish came true after she was reunited with her lost teddy bear – thanks to Hamilton Advertiser readers.
Lily Ann Martin was left heartbroken after her lifelong companion went missing on the way home from nursery.
However when we posted an online appeal for the missing bear – called Teddy – our readers wasted no time in making sure he was reunited with his three-year-old owner.
Mum Nicola McWhinnie, of Eddlewood, thanked everyone from the “bottom of her heart” after 650 people shared our story on Facebook.
She said: “Lily Ann has had Teddy since she was born. He has gone everywhere with her, and is her world.
“When she found out he was gone she said Christmas was ruined without him.”
Teddy fell out a bag last Tuesday as Lily Ann was walking from St Elizabeth’s Nursery on the way to her childminder’s in Scotia Gardens.
When they discovered he was missing, they back-tracked their steps but couldn’t find the bear.
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Nicola said: “She wouldn’t go to sleep that night. We tried everything to get him back, re-traced her steps and then thought perhaps we could contact the Advertiser.
“In just a few hours the story had hundreds of shares and the Advertiser got in touch to say that Teddy had been handed in to Scotmid on Birkhill Road.
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“It was genuinely amazing. He had been missing since 11.45am and we got him back at around 8pm.
“She was delighted to get him back and we can’t thank everyone enough who shared the story online.
“We would also like to the lady who handed her in to the store and found her on the street – it’s genuinely fantastic.”