A 'KIDNAP' ordeal, which started in Bolton, sparked a worldwide 10-month search, with ransom notes being sent from three continents. Mystery photographs of the grabbed 'victim' arrived from South Africa, America, Cyprus and Amsterdam. And at times the stakes reached as high as a 'quarter of midget gems'!

The drama unfolded in the advertising offices at the Bolton Evening News', but only now the 'kidnap' has come to a happy conclusion, can the news blackout be broken.

The 'kidnap' centred around a 10 inch green cuddly park ranger toy, nabbed off the desk of sales executive, Les Gorton, and taken on a whirlwind trip around the world.

Les said: "The green man was there one minute and gone the next. Within about four or five days of him disappearing, I received a ransom note, demanding I drop off a quarter of midget gems in the staff canteen 'or the little fella gets it'.

"There was even a piece of the cuddly toy stuck on the note."

Les took the sweets at the given time, but no one showed. Days later, a second letter arrived saying "You may have kept the gems, but I've got the better gem."

Then a third demanding a packet of 'fruity polos' and carrying a harrowing message of 'help' arrived.

And so started a series of letters, photographs and messages sent to Les from throughout the world.

The tone of the messages changed, and in the following five months, the 'green man' was pictured, savouring the food of an Amsterdam cafe, enjoying the embrace of a beautiful mystery girl in Cyprus, sipping beer in an American bar, and out on safari in South Africa.

Friends

Finally, the note arrived, announcing "I am tired now. Got lots of new friends. Hope to be home before Christmas."

And sure enough, a week before Christmas, the cuddly toy arrived back - although not before Les paid a £1 ransom, leaving it at a designated place within the BEN offices.

Happily reunited after the 10-month ordeal, Les said: "I have no idea who has been behind this. All I know is, that toy has seen more of the world in the last few months than I have in my life."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.