IT'S probably the biggest collection of teddy bears in the south but for one Hampshire woman the time has finally come to part with her beloved bears.

With more than 200 bears filling up a spare room in her Southampton home Barbara Ballard has been collecting the fluffy toys since the 1960s.

But after finally running out of space the 74-year-old former Hampshire police officer has decided it's time to sell her collection and donate part of the proceeds to charity.

Barbara, a great grandmother of two, of Squires Walk, Weston, said: "I started collecting them properly when my two daughters were quite young in the 1960s.

"Some of them I have rescued from jumble sales and if they were dumped I took them in much like a rescue home as I don't like seeing them abandoned.

"I've got a fascination with teddy bears. I can walk into a shop full of them and only one will catch my eye."

Barbara is hoping to sell the entire collection as a whole or individually and donate 15 per cent of the profits to the Blue Cross.

If you can give a home to any of the bears contact Barbara on 023 8044 8941.

Echo picture by John Luthwaite. Order no: 4950534