THE Alresford Museum has acquired a collection of more than 120 soft toys, manufactured in the town by Alresford Crafts.

A major employer in the town until 1992, many people around the world know of Alresford Crafts and of the town because it is the original home of these much-loved and cuddled toys.

Former resident Verena Harper (née Pegg) has collected these furry stuffed animals over the last 40 years and had worked at the town mill making the toys back in the 1970s.

Since retiring and moving to Dorset, Verena has built this large and varied collection, with the help of many friends, some of whom still live in Alresford, but now it is time for the whole family to return home.

According to spokesman Nick Denbow, the New Alresford Town Trust Museum is set to add these toys to its collections of ceramic dolls and soft cuddly animals made by Alresford Crafts.

The new museum additions include glove puppets, around 15 owls of various sizes and colours, and some unique toys such as a penguin, a brown hen, and a blue lamb.

Mr Denbow said: “Verena’s collection included an Alresford Pig glove puppet with pink fur.

This has joined up with another recent addition to the museum, a pink rabbit made by Alresford Crafts, which was recently returned home from Georgia in the United States.”

The new soft toy collection will be on show in Alresford library (particularly upstairs in the children’s section) and at various other museum events throughout the coming year.