A WORN and dejected looking teddy bear has marked his 100-years by enjoying a new lease of life after a refresh in tribute to his previous owner.

Mr Ted was taken to skilled seamstress Jennie Dunstan at Horrabridge Repair Cafe after many years lying abandoned in a plastic bag at the bottom of a wardrobe.

Jennie not only painstakingly renovated Mr Ted, but also thoroughly researched his heritage, much to the delight of his owner Roger Gilbert, of Yelverton.

Roger said: ‘Jennie has put a lot of effort and skill into Mr Ted and he is nearly a new bear. He was very worn through loving play by my mother. He lost his nose and mouth and his ears were torn and there were badly worn and torn patches in his fur.

‘He is now pride of place in my lounge as looks totally changed. He was very sad and neglected looking.’

Roger was prompted to rescue Mr Ted from languishing unwanted in the wardrobe when he heard all about the popular repair cafe.

He said: ‘I’d almost forgotten him after I inherited him from my mother when she died about 20 years ago. But then I heard what great work they were doing at the Horrabridge Repair Cafe, so I took him down. The seamstress ladies down there were very excited to see a teddy bear and gave him a lot of attention. He’s come out of the experience very well. He has that pre-loved look still, with some worn patches and his built-in growl doesn’t sound when you tilt him, but does when you press him. To mend that would’ve needed major surgery, but wasn’t worth the work.’

Roger admitted Mr Ted was not the most cuddly toy: ‘I have never really liked Mr Ted. He has a bit of a superior look and doesn’t look very friendly. He also has a hard body and rigid arms so isn’t even particularly soft to hug.

‘But I did this all in a form of tribute to my mother because I know she loved him and would really appreciate what Jennie has done. I think he’s doing his bit now in her memory.’

His mother had previously repaired all four paws using Chamois leather and he asked that these repairs be left.

Jennie initially thought the teddy was a collectable Steiff bear because he looked like an early model. But the Stieff Museum in Germany told her, that despite the similarities, he was not.

Her research discovered he was made by British company Farnell which began in London and which made its first teddy in 1906 to become one of the leading teddy makers.

Roger’s teddy is thought to be an early Farnell bear which were made of Yorkshire mohair and inspired the creation of Winnie the Pooh. Jennie dates him at pre-1920s.