A TRAVELLING teddy bear named Phineas Fogg is racking up the air miles to support his village church.

The cuddly adventurer has been accompanying Edington holidaymakers to destinations as diverse as Ghana and Singapore to promote TEDington Day on May 21.

Designed to get more people coming to Edington Priory Church and raise some money, the day will feature a quiz where residents must guess the total mileage Phineas has covered.

Organiser Jane Simkins said: "People ring me up all the time and they can get quite stroppy if they can't have him so we had to reveal he had a wife."

Phyllis Fogg was introduced so more people could join in the fun and their son Mini-Phini is now travelling the globe with villager Sam Hull.

Mrs Simkins, 51, of Lower Road, Edington, said: "Mini-Phini is the product of a misspent youth and is now on a gap year, but will return in time for TEDington Day."

Since the inaugural event last year, Phineas has also visited Malta, Sweden, Spain, Gibraltar, Israel, France, Menorca, Germany, Scotland, Australia, Tenerife and Italy.

Mrs Simpkins said: "We were quite chuffed with the name TEDdington Day because it fits really well. Last year people came from far and wide we were amazed."

Mrs Simpkins and her team are busy planning this year's follow-up, which will once again see bears parachuting from the church tower.

All teddies will receive a certificate of health from the field hospital doctor after landing.