ANY mother of a young child will know how important their prized teddy bear is to them and of the long hours of misery trying to pacify an upset toddler should their favourite cuddly friend go missing.

ANY mother of a young child will know how important their prized teddy bear is to them and of the long hours of misery trying to pacify an upset toddler should their favourite cuddly friend go missing.

Unfortunately for Great Yarmouth mum Mari-Lyn Peachuy, 20, this situation has become all to familiar after her one-year-old son Elliot Peachuy lost his favourite teddy on Sunday.

The toy, which she has had since she was a baby, vanished at 5pm as she was walking home with her son and partner Stephen Dick, 21, following a visit to her mother Maxine Peachuy's home in Rodney Road.

Elliot had been clutching the toy in his lap while asleep in his buggy, but when the family reached Matalan car park they realised the faded yellow teddy, bought originally from Adams Kids in Yarmouth, had gone missing. They failed to find the teddy despite going back over the route they had taken.

Since then, Miss Peachey has been trying to help her distraught baby come to terms with the loss, although he has regular sleepless nights and rejects any other toys provided to keep him company.

In her desperation to provide Elliot with some comfort, she has placed posters around Yarmouth, including in Matalan car park and in the windows of charity shops appealing for the Teddy's return.

“I have had the Teddy since I was a baby and then as soon as my young boy was born, I passed it on to him. We have had trouble putting him to sleep the last couple of nights,” Miss Peachuy said.

Anyone with information as to the Teddy's whereabouts can call Mari-Lyn on 07890 723780.