One night, however, there was a poorly girl called Mary who was frightened about being in hospital and very lonely. The bear came in through one of his secret entrances and spent some time with her, as he had so often done for other children. Mary was beginning to feel a lot better when suddenly a nurse with very loud clumpy shoes came down the ward bringing some medicine for her. The bear usually escapes when this happens. He moves very quickly and quietly and he knows exactly where to hide. But on this night Mary jumped so hard when the nurse called her name that the bear fell off the bed and hurt himself. And of course then he was caught.

The nurse was actually very gentle and did not make a fuss at all when she saw the bear. She asked the doctor to come and have a look at him and then bandaged him up and gave him a cup of cocoa. When the bear explained what he was doing there the nurse thought that he was the kindest bear she had ever met. She asked if she could have a picture of him to keep and show her friends. That was in 1983 and within a very short time the bear became quite famous.

Everyone has seen the pictures now. But there are still very few grown ups who have actually seen him, and although he has visited many children since then, they usually don't ell anyone about it. That’s the way the bear prefers it.

Many people have wondered where his cave is but no-one knows. Certainly it is not in a part of the hospital where people usually go. We do know that he has many secret passages and a tunnel that goes under the road and comes out somewhere in the park.

The bear is not employed by the hospital, he just lives there. He allows the hospital to use his picture, and I think he is quite proud of it, but he is still shy and very uncomfortable with crowds. There have been some embarrassing moments when he has had to ask the hospital staff for help, but he usually manages to ask one person when no-one else is looking, then leaves them a picture as a thank you present.