Blitzy The Bear: Meet The Manchester Blitz Survivor Found In A Loft After Decades

Meet Blitzy –  the Second World War teddy bear who survived the Manchester Blitz.

Well-worn and obviously once well-loved, the threadbare bear now has a new home after being sold at auction for £1,000.

Blitzy was originally bought for young Mary Gaskell around the time of the outbreak of the war, and the furry toy comforted her during the heavy bombing of Manchester in the late autumn of 1940.

Stored away for decades, Blitzy was rediscovered by Mary's son, Jonathan McCue, in his loft.

He told Forces News: "I found Blitzy, once all the loft boxes were moved, near the insulation, so it's well hidden.

"I suppose the positive, Blitzy was pretty warm under there!"

Mr McCue explained the teddy was almost thrown away.

"It's been decades since we've even discussed Blitzy the Bear," he said. 

"Blitzy had an envelope attached to his neck.

"It was unopened, so I thought 'this is strange, I'll open this'.

Watch: Forces News met Blitzy ahead of going up for auction. 

"I opened this envelope, inside was my mother’s name, inside was a tag saying, 'my name is Blitzy, I was purchased by my mother's father while she was about two-years-old at the time of the Blitz'.

"So, it's completely by accident that the bear's come about and the fact that Blitzy almost ended up in a plastic bag and going into the skip, was very close."

Mr McCue added: "Blitzy's had a life in a loft for so many years, that to me, everybody needs to know the story of Blitzy and I think he deserves a lovely home."

Despite being the ripe old age of 82, Blitzy is in relatively good condition.

Steve Fulford, a toy valuer at Hansons Auctioneers where he was sold, said Blitzy just needs some TLC, having a loose eye, a missing 'squeaker' and a previous repair on his left paw.

He said: "For the age that he is, he's in remarkable condition really. He's survived really, really well.

"He's an 18inch-tall bear, which is quite big. Of course, in the 1930s, children didn't have many toys, so he was something special.

"In terms of value, he was probably not far off a week's wages for somebody."

The pre-auction estimate for Blitzy was between £600 and £800.