A Paddington Bear that was designed Jeremy Clarkson's mum has made a 2,000-mile round trip back to the UK after he was found abandoned in a river 40 years ago.

Sweet Jane Lazzeri was just 13 when first discovered the bedraggled teddy lying in a Buckinghamshire brook, in October 1983, near her childhood home of Winslow.

She later contacted Thames Valley Police to try and find the cuddly toy's true owner, and they then filed a missing property report concerning "one Paddington Bear".

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But after no one came forward, Jane decided to take the teddy under her wing in a heart-warming story similar to Michael Bond's iconic children's novel.

She explained: "The tag around his neck said, 'please look after this bear', so I did."

"I was 13 years old and riding over a bridge near my home. I saw some shopping bags hidden below in the watery brook, so rode down to investigate.

"Paddington was together with an unusual collection of items, all brand new, which are listed on a police property record and subsequently raffled for charity as they were never claimed."

The Paddington Bear was designed by motoring guru Jeremy Clarkson's mother, Shirley, and handmade at a factory in Doncaster, South Yorks.

And Jane, now 52, took the teddy to Pisa when she moved to the Italian city in 2007.

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But in 2020, she wrote a touching letter to the Compton family, who owns stately home Newby Hall, asking if the teddy could return to Yorkshire and live in their "Bear House".

She said: "My children have told Paddington about the Bear House at Newby Hall.

"They've shared stories with him of their numerous happy visits there, during many summers spent in Yorkshire, a county he himself originated from.

"Paddington would like to know if there could be room for him in the Bear House?

"He'd be able to chat to the other bears in English, his first language and take relief from the sweltering Mediterranean sun.

"Despite being Peruvian, he's always preferred cooler climes."

Jane's Paddington came to live at Newby Hall in August this year where one of the world's largest bear collections, gifted to its charitable trust by broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, is on show.

And Jane and her son, William, have even travelled from Italy to Newby to see their Paddington safely settled in his new home.

Jane added: "He is special. No one has ever discovered who he was bear-napped from all those years ago and why he was abandoned in a watery brook, wrapping paper by his side."

Stuart Gill, commercial director at Newby Hall, said: "How could we refuse Jane's request - it's a wonderful story that has taken her Paddington on his travels over 40 years.

"It's great that he has returned to Yorkshire and made his home at Newby Hall."

The Bear House collection was assembled by teddy bear enthusiasts Gyles Brandreth and his wife, Michele Brown, over many years.

It is home to the original star of the Paddington 1970s animated TV series; Harry Corbett's 1950s Sooty; Muppet Show stalwart Fozzie Bear (donated by Jim Henson); and the original Children in Need's Pudsey bear.

ENDS