THE teddies came in all sizes, and the plums were first-class Worcestershire fruit, and had their own Pershore Plum Princess in Mia Brotherton, aged nine. She and Sarah Brush (pictured), the Worcester diocesan youth officer, joined the teddy bears and plums at Pershore Abbey for the first Teddy Praise and Plum Festival Service, on Sunday 15 August.

The teddies joined in the action songs, and were blessed for their bravery to come by the Revd Alma Organ. Two weeks later, at the town's big Plum Fayre, on Bank Holiday Monday, they would be joining the hundreds of teddies zip-wiring down from the Abbey tower, or parachuting down inside it.

Peter Stansbie, who was preaching, told the children that teddy bears were a reminder of God's love: always faithful, no matter what.