Bear-napped: East Sussex village dismayed as popular teddies taken away from their outdoor home

Robin Akers, of West Gate, said the furry family had become a popular fixture in the village after they mysteriously appeared earlier this year.

Robin said: “Quite a few months ago these two large teddy bears appeared on the bench just by the stream by East View Fields. They sat there for a long time and they were joined by a baby bear and a little puppy.”

He said: “Everybody enjoyed them, the children used to come and sit with them and talk to them.”

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Robin said the bears moved around occasionally, appearing in different poses and locations around the village. Then when the weather took a turn for the worse they were moved to the bus shelter near the post office.

But the village was shocked recently when the bears went missing and some residents reported seeing men in a van take them away.

Robin explained it was a mystery who placed the bears in town in the first place and now it is a mystery who could be responsible for their disappearance.

He said: “It would be lovely if the bears were returned because they created a lot of enjoyment in the village with people stopping to have their photographs taken with them.”

“It’s such a shame because people loved them,” he added, saying that there have been people voicing their dismay on the Plumpton Community Facebook group.