A Blackburn boy has been reunited with his toy lion after an appeal to help find him.

Henry Taylor was attached to his cuddly toy lion from the moment it was given to him and was heartbroken when it went missing in Blackburn last week.

Commenting on a Facebook post, Blackburn Youth Zone revealed they had found the toy and reunited Henry with it, much to the relief of mum Briony.

Briony said: “He was relieved and even I had a little cry. He kept looking at it and then putting it to his face, giving it a cuddle and then putting it to his mouth and giving him a little kiss and we finally slept through the night again.”

The toy lion, aptly named ‘Lion’ was found by a maintenance worker in a bush and handed in to the youth centre.

Unable to sleep without his toy, Briony had a sleepless week and posted across numerous social media pages looking to find him.

Briony added: “He was a bit battered, but he was alright once he went in the washing machine. My son was watching it in the washing machine and then we gave it to him.”

Lion was lost last week and Briony thinks it fell out of Henry’s pram, with the family desperately searching the area.

Henry was born with a rare kidney issue which means he has bouts of hospital stays and has had many x-rays and gamma radiation tests all with the lion by his side.

Briony said: “Lion has been found! Thank you Blackburn with Darwen Youth Zone for finding him!

“And thank you to the Lancashire Telegraph for sharing our story and thanks to my mum Virginia Taylor who helped us looking all over Blackburn for him and thanks everyone for sharing.

“Lion is not allowed out to play anymore!! My little boy is finally asleep with his best friend.”