Ready, teddy, go for fundraising zoo day

Bears of the stuffed variety joined youngsters for a picnic held in the courtyard of Dudley Castle.

The event was held to mark the 50th anniversary of fictional favourite Paddington Bear and a cake was cut.

More than 1,000 children and parents signed up for the Bring Your Bear Day which also raised cash for charity.

The £2 entrance fee will be split between Touching Tiny Lives, which funds research to help prevent life-threatening pregnancy complications and reduce premature births, and the zoo’s vital conservation programmes with some of the world’s rarest animals.

Chief executive Peter Suddock said: “There were lots of bears in the courtyard, but plenty of keepers around to make sure they were all well behaved and there was also an opportunity to see the zoo’s Dr Dudley feeding our own Asiatic bears.”