An Angus family has spoken of their joy after a treasured Paddington Bear collection box stolen from their garden was returned.
The ornament had been in Graham Cowe’s front garden for almost 30 years but went missing in November and was sold to a toy collector who didn’t realise it had been stolen.
Now collector Ewan Mitchell, 54, has returned the bear to grateful Graham, of Kirriemuir, after Graham put up posters begging for its return.
Graham, 54, said: “It was indeed our Paddington Bear.
“He is now back with us and will not be going back outside but remain in our porch.
“We thought we would not see him again.
“We have had him for nearly 30 years and has sat next to our front door at all the houses we have lived in and was popular with the kids going to and from school.”
His wife Alison, 50, added: “We are delighted to have him home again.”
Graham had hoped that the disappearance of his garden decoration was down to locals playing a joke.
He said: “At first I thought it was some sort of high jinks by some youngsters and that it was deposited further along the street in someone else’s garden.”
But after scouring local streets, he couldn’t find it.
Collector Ewan and his wife Linda, 55, of nearby Brechin, said they were delighted to have helped.
Linda said: “Paddington is back home in Kirrie/Peru.”