Popular polar bear Knut was fast becoming a headline attraction until one discerning onlooker pointed out that he was in fact a stuffed toy.
Keeper Heinrich Von Grimmel has confessed that he has been repositioning the fluffy toy every day in "cute, endearing" poses for the cameras. He revealed that a small child dropped the toy into the polar bear pen and he just couldn't bring himself to confess that it wasn't a real baby polar bear.
Zoo officials have expressed their disappointment that the bear turned out to be a grubby little bit of cloth from Woolworths and not a priceless Steiff.
One top official who declined to be named, commented "To be honest we wouldn't recognise a polar bear close up- it's about 10 years since anyone saw one- we will be charging the keeper for all that wasted food though"
Recipients of the toy "Watford Cats In Need" today said " Not another bloody fluffy toy- why can't someone just once donate something half-decent."
