A British tourist is appealing for the return of a teddy bear she has owned for greater than 40 years after her rucksack was stolen on a Spanish beach.
Sarah Candy was on La Concha beach in San Sebastian when her belongings were snatched.
The previous soldier took to social media to report the theft and appeal for the bear’s protected return alongside a photograph of it in a pocket of her rucksack.
Spanish media have now joined the appeal to return the bear.
Sarah, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, said in her first Facebook post: ‘What a day yesterday turned out to be.
‘As I used to be having fun with my final few hours of sunshine on the beach in San Sebastian, my backpack was stolen. Inside were my clothes, jewellery, passport and, most upsettingly of all, Care Bear.
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‘For years it’s been an ongoing joke that irrespective of where I used to be heading – whether it was a vacation or a conflict zone – the primary things I packed were at all times my bikini and flip-flops.
‘Well, it seems that’s not a nasty survival strategy. Right away, my worldly possessions consist of a bikini, flip-flops, a pair of trainers, a sunbathing sheet and towel, a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and, thankfully, my phone.’
The keep-fit fanatic, who in April ran the London Marathon, added: ‘So while I wait in Spain for emergency travel documents to get me home, not less than I’ve got all of the essentials covered.
‘I’m still holding out hope that Care Bear might by some means find his way back to me. After nearly 42 years together, I’d hate for our adventures to finish like this.’
After local media in San Sebastian highlighted her appeal, which she posted on Spanish-language sites with the assistance of an AI translation, Sarah updated followers from her hotel in San Sebastian near Spain’s border with France with the message: ‘The emergency passport has arrived and my flight house is booked for this evening, so thankfully I only have just a few more hours of tolerating this terrible hardship.
‘It’s been a reasonably unexpected extension to my Spanish holiday, but there are definitely worse places to be stranded while waiting for paperwork.
‘As for Care Bear, I’m still holding out hope that he eventually gets bored with the cocktails, sunshine and a focus he’s been getting in San Sebastian and decides it’s time to make his way home.’
Sarah, who now lives in Castleford, West Yorks, added: ‘I’m planning on returning to San Sebastian next Wednesday to see if the police have found anything.’
One San Sebastian resident replied: ‘I hope you strike lucky and get your belongings back. How sad.’
One other, in a direct message to the wrongdoer, wrote: ‘Give the rucksack back you b*****s.
‘Work as a substitute of stealing.’
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