Teen wins world record for her cuddly collection

A teenager from Bedford has been awarded a Guinness World Records title for assembling the largest collection of Jellycat toys.

Hope Roberts, 19, has 877 items in her collection, including soft toys, stickers, bags and keyrings.

Guinness World Records confirmed the title in December after a detailed verification process that took four hours.

"I didn't know the full number until it was announced, so I was just as shocked," said Hope.

She started her collection two years ago after buying a Jellycat bunny in a charity shop for 20p.

"I kind of knew what they were but had never seen one," she said.

It led to Hope looking for them at car boot sales and being given the furry toys as gifts.

Her collection has grown further since being awarded the Guinness title, and she said she thought it was now near the 1,000 mark.

The value of Jellycat toys varies wildly, from a few pounds to more than £1,000 for rare or limited edition items.

The brand began life in 1999 but saw a spike in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hope documents her collection on social media, and she recently received feedback from socialite Nicky Hilton.

"I had to Google [that] it was definitely her," said Hope. "It's crazy."

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