Here is the perfect #lockdown story to warm your heart and lift your spirits. My mother’s neighbour, Stella, has been restoring her old teddy bear who looked like this

Ted needed a complete overhaul, so Stella began by taking him apart and washing him

Yes, I’m afraid it was necessary to decapitate Ted

This was a thorough restoration job

But slowly, Ted began to look like his old (new) self again

And now he is back in Stella’s arms

But that’s not the whole story. I asked Stella to explain why Ted’s restoration was so important to her, and she told me this story:

‘64 years ago (ish) I got Ted for Christmas and hated the miserable little runt and demolished him in a temper tantrum. Years later I realise it was all my mum could afford. So this week I made amends, chatted (in my head) to my mum and all is good.’

Now, wasn’t that worth the decapitation scene?