A SUNDAY school project has sparked a mass exodus of teddy bears from the Stand area.

The project, at Stand Unitarian Chapel on Ringley Road, has mushroomed beyond all expectations after grabbing the imagination of children.

"We decided that a good way of teaching the children about geography would be to get a teddy bear and let each of the children take it on holiday. We chart its travels on a map of the world," said Sunday school secretary Mrs Diane Marsh.

So many of the children wanted to take part that one teddy was not enough, so they began taking their own bears on their travels.

"Soon the mums and dads wanted to get involved. In the end we have been monitoring the travels of about 12 teddy bears," said Mrs Marsh.

They have been everywhere from the Millennium Dome to America and Goa.

One even acted as a bridesmaid at a wedding in Jamaica!

Mrs Marsh said: "We mark the teddies' destination with stars on the map, but some of them also send postcards and photographs of themselves enjoying their holidays."