A woman says she is “devastated” after her treasured teddy bear was stolen in Islington.

Islington Gazette: Laura Horsfall is offering a £50 reward to anyone who can reunite her with her teddy bearLaura Horsfall is offering a £50 reward to anyone who can reunite her with her teddy bear (Image: Archant)

The bear, known simply as “Teddy”, was given to Laura Horsfall, 32, when she was just a baby and is one of her most treasured possessions.

“Teddy was given to me by my grandparents on my first birthday and has been with me ever since,” said Laura, who works in television.

“I was quite ill as a teenager and couldn’t do many things that normal teens could do. Teddy was my companion - he reminds me of getting better.”

On December 16th, the unthinkable happened when a thief grabbed a suitcase containing the bear and several other valuable possessions.

“My husband and I were between flats and we were moving into temporary accomodation at 105 Seven Sisters Road,” she said. “We got a cab for all our luggage and Teddy was in one of the suitcases. The driver helped us unload the car, but when I came back to get the suitcase it was gone.”

The large blue-grey Samonsite case had four wheels, and contained a black Samsung laptop, some of Laura’s clothes, a Calvin Klein wash-bag, green-grey Nike trainers, black ankle boots, two bottles of wine, and a Babyliss hairdryer.

Most people, perhaps, would have been particularly upset about losing their laptop - but out of everything she’s lost, Laura says that “Teddy is the most important.”

Since her beloved toy went missing, she has put up several missing posters around the area and particularly targeted charity shops.

“I feel bereaved and devastated,” said Laura. “That teddy has been with me for most of my life and he’s immensely important to me. I keep imagining him in a bin somewhere, which is a very disturbing thought. I do realise that a lot of people have suffered greater losses this year – including myself, as I lost my grandmother in March. But losing Teddy at the end of what’s been quite a difficult year was just the final straw.”

Laura is appealing to anyone who may have found her teddy to contact her at bringmyteddyhome@gmail.com. She is also offering a £50 reward.