DAWN Hinton of Mitcheldean thought she was very lucky when she came back from holiday to find she had won a cuddly teddy bear in a raffle held at work.
But her joy was short-lived when the prize, which she has named Houdini, went missing.
But more was to come – when letters asking Dawn to pay up or never see Houdini again began to arrive, it was quite clear he had been kidnapped.
"I think I had him for about half an hour," Dawn told the Review.
Now, sure enough, the kidnappers have been in touch with the Review and they are asking for the dosh to be delivered to a CLIC charity box going round the office at Cooper Security in Mitcheldean, where Dawn works.
Inside job? Possibly. Whatever, pictures proving Houdini is still alive and well have reached the Review, and we can also assure Dawn that he has a mystery companion out there in the woods, which is apparently where he is being held.
"This time be serious," say the kidnappers. "We're told all we have in the box at the moment is £1.22, a sweetie and Walker's Crisps voucher. It's not good enough – pay up."