PENARTH'S well-loved Mr Bear is currently looking for a new home, could it be you?

Mr Bear has been a feature at Hamptons Penarth for ten years, but he's had a fair few adventures before, as one of the owner of the shop, Peter Knowles, explained.

"He came to us in a different life really at the very beginning of the 1980s," he added.

"He was bought from a toy manufacturer in Paris.

"Originally he was just a static bear, but part of his body stuffing was taking out to put a motor in to make him animated, and he still works to this day.

"He made his debut as part of a Goldilocks and the Three Bears themed Christmas display at Port Talbot shopping centre.

"And then after that he appeared in numerous displays in different themes around the whole of the UK, and then retired and came to live at the shop.

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"He's become quite a landmark at Hamptons.

"Whenever children would come in they would say: 'Oh is Mr Bear upstairs?'".

Mr Bear stands just over six feet tall, towering over Mr Knowles who is 6ft 2, and has delighted many Penarth residents and visitors during his time in the shop. 

He is up for auction on eBay, with bidding stopping this Sunday, February 14, as the shop is undergoing some work - with the food hall section being made bigger, leaving no room for the big bear. 

You can find out more over at @HamptonsPenarth on Facebook.

The proceeds will be going to Many Tears Animal Rescue, a charity close to Mr Knowles heart, as his Scottie, Max, was adopted from Many Tears after spending the first few years of his life on a puppy farm.