A KIND-HEARTED couple have collected and cleaned hundreds of teddies donated in memory of a three-year-old boy killed in an apparent hit-and-run.

Danny Wake, from Darlington, died on November 4, after being hit by a vehicle which failed to stop.

His death caused shockwaves in the community, with hundreds of people leaving tributes at the junction of Falmer Road and Neasham Road, close to where the incident happened.

The tributes included flowers, candles, posters and hundreds of cuddly toys.

Worsening weather meant the teddies were in need of some TLC, with no one quite sure what would become of them.

But community-spirited musician and self-confessed teddy enthusiast Dave Ward stepped in.

With the permission of Danny’s family and in partnership with neighbourhood police officers, Mr Ward removed the cuddly toys from the elements.

They have been taken to his home, on the Firth Moor estate, where they have been cleaned.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the teddies, as most charities will not take them because of health and safety concerns as they have spent weeks outdoors.

Mr Ward is hopeful a solution can be found by which the teddies can go to a good home, in Danny’s name.

One possible solution could be to sell them, with any proceeds donated to a charity of Danny’s family’s choosing.

Mr Ward, 61, said: “Danny’s family has given permission and I have been working with PC Jeff Summerhill.

“My wife and I have cleaned and scrubbed the teddies. There’s hundreds of them, they are good as new.”