THE Repair Shop viewers were left reaching for the tissues after hearing an elderly lady reveal the heart-breaking story behind a teddy bear.

Beryl had brought in the bear, which was a precious gift from her parents at the start of World War Two.

On the BBC show, she revealed: "Christmas 1939, when my mum took me to see Father Christmas in Manchester, I asked him 'Please could I have a teddy bear?'

"When I opened the present up on Christmas Day, I never put him down I don’t think, at all."

Beryl said the bear had travelled with her when she was evacuated and also came to the bomb shelter with her when she returned home for Christmas in 1940.

She then passed down her beloved bear to her eldest son John, who then gave it to his baby brother Paul when he was born, who had kept it until he died earlier in the year. 

Beryl had been reunited with the teddy while clearing out Paul’s house after his death and was over the moon to know that the precious toy was still around.

She revealed: "The last box that they brought, the first thing I saw was teddy, and as soon as I saw him I burst into floods of tears. I didn’t realise that he was still in the family."

Given the teddy was 80 years old, his fur had seen better days, he’d lost his eyes and the squeaker inside him no longer worked. 

Thankfully, though, Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell – The Repair Shop’s resident teddy bear ladies – were on hand to restore glory to the cuddly pal.

Returning the bear to Beryl, she opened the box before she burst into floods of tears, overcome with emotion to be reunited with it.

"Oh he’s gorgeous," she exclaimed. "He’s gorgeous. He looks happy. I don’t believe it. I feel as if Paul’s here with us."

Viewers were left emotional at the touching moment, with many taking to Twitter to air their thoughts.

One viewer said: "The Repair Shop breaks me every time, but seriously the lady with teddy bear."

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Someone else penned: "Proper sobbing at The Repair Shop. Humans at their most tender and endearing. We were all children once."

Another added: "Teddy bear with no eyes, and a missing squeak on The Repair Shop, this is a recipe for tears if ever I saw one."

The Repair Shop returns to BBC One on Wednesday, 22 December at 8pm.

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