The Repair Shop guest emotionally reunites with mad | UK News

A Repair Shop guest was left exclaiming ‘oh my God’ as she noticed a toy from her childhood restored.

During a repeat episode of the BBC One episode which aired tonight (Sunday 13), guest Vanessa introduced in her toy lion, Leo, which she’d had since childhood.

The humongous toy was in need of help after years of being performed with, and was left in the palms of The Repair Shop specialists Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell, identified as The Teddy Bear Ladies.

“He came from a department store, my mum wanted to buy me a tortoise to climb over, I was probably eight months to a year old, and she went into a shop with my nan and just fell in love with this lion,” Vanessa defined.

She went on: “She didn’t realise the size of it so she then tried to fit him in a Austin 11, I think my mum had to climb in the back holding on to him and they couldn’t put the boot down or anything like that.”

Vanessa recalled the “fits of giggles” that occurred every time her grandmother and mom retold the story.

“The shock for my dad and grandad was that the price was my dad’s weekly wage,” Vanessa added, surprising the specialists.

Vanessa went on to share her reminiscences from her childhood with Leo, climbing on him and cuddling him, before he was handed down to her own youngsters.

She sadly shared that she misplaced her “loving” and “special” mum ten years in the past, and Leo turned a reminder of the love she shared with her.

“My mum was my best friend, and I realised I didn’t have any recent photos with her just on my own… but I feel that Leo is my photo,” she stated.

Over the years, Leo had misplaced fur in sure areas, with matted cloth and had sunk down.

When requested what her mum would suppose of her bringing Leo to The Repair Shop, Vanessa replied: “She’d be laughing, and knowing that story got out there that her mad purchase has bought so much happiness and so much love, we’ve loved him, my kids have loved him, and hopefully a next generation will love him.”

After they had been in a position to work their magic and restore Leo with new stuffing and cloth, Vanessa was left delighted.

“It was really weird, when I left Leo here it was like leaving a best friend in a sense,” she stated. “I can’t describe it, I didn’t expect to get those feelings at all.”

Upon seeing him, she stated: “Oh my God! His hair! He’s so big, I remember holding him like this. It’s like how I remember holding him when I was little, he looks brand new!”

“My mum would have been so pleased to have seen that,” she emotionally added. “You’ve provided a legacy for hopefully I might get grandchildren and I can have the same photo of my grandchild next to Leo.”

The Repair Shop is out there to watch on BBC iPlayer.