A British tourist is appealing for the return of a teddy bear she has owned for more than 40 years after her rucksack was stolen on a Spanish beach. Sarah Candy was on La Concha beach in San Sebastian when her belongings were snatched. The former soldier took to social media to report the theft and appeal for the bear's safe return alongside a photo of it in a pocket of her rucksack. Spanish media have now joined the appeal to return the bear.
Sarah, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, said in her first Facebook post: 'What a day yesterday turned out to be. As I was enjoying my final few hours of sunshine on the beach in San Sebastian, my backpack was stolen. Inside were my clothes, jewellery, passport and, most upsettingly of all, Care Bear. For years it's been an ongoing joke that no matter where I was heading – whether it was a holiday or a conflict zone – the first things I packed were always my bikini and flip-flops. Well, it turns out that's not a bad survival strategy. Right now, my worldly possessions consist of a bikini, flip-flops, a pair of trainers, a sunbathing sheet and towel, a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and, thankfully, my phone.'
The keep-fit fanatic, who in April ran the London Marathon, added: 'So while I wait in Spain for emergency travel documents to get me home, at least I've got all the essentials covered. I'm still holding out hope that Care Bear might somehow find his way back to me. After nearly 42 years together, I'd hate for our adventures to end like this.'
After local media in San Sebastian highlighted her appeal, which she posted on Spanish-language sites with the help of an AI translation, Sarah updated followers from her hotel in San Sebastian near Spain's border with France with the message: 'The emergency passport has arrived and my flight home is booked for this evening, so thankfully I only have a few more hours of enduring this terrible hardship. It's been a rather unexpected extension to my Spanish holiday, but there are definitely worse places to be stranded while waiting for paperwork. As for Care Bear, I'm still holding out hope that he eventually gets tired of the cocktails, sunshine and attention he's been getting in San Sebastian and decides it's time to make his way home.'
Sarah, who now lives in Castleford, West Yorks, added: 'I'm planning on returning to San Sebastian next Wednesday to see if the police have found anything.' One San Sebastian resident replied: 'I hope you strike lucky and get your belongings back. How sad.' Another, in a direct message to the culprit, wrote: 'Give the rucksack back you b*****s. Work instead of stealing.'
