A NEW study has revealed Southampton to be home to the nation’s biggest softies with 65 per cent of people admitting to still owning their childhood teddy bear.

Southampton was found to have more sensitive types compared to other cities such as Cardiff (40 per cent) and Edinburgh (14 per cent) in the survey carried out by online bed retailer Time4Sleep as part of their Most Loved Teddy Bear campaign.

Even more surprisingly, the study revealed that 13 per cent of those who still own a childhood teddy bear admit to snuggling up to it at night.

The research also revealed that British adults overall are a nation of teddy bear lovers, with an average 43 per cent of people owning a teddy bear.

When asked why they choose to keep their childhood soft toy, half of people in Southampton said the main reason was that ‘they couldn’t live without it’ and 40 per cent of respondents said ‘keeping their cuddly toy reminded them of their childhood’.

Interestingly, it was discovered that 51 per cent of men are most likely to still have their childhood companion compared to 39 per cent of women.

Jonathan Warren, Director at Time4Sleep, said: “It’s surprising that so many people in Southampton still own their childhood cuddly toy but it’s nice to discover that so many feel nostalgic about their teddy bears and that people simply can’t bear to part with them!

“Many of us crave some type of comfort during the night, whether that’s from a partner, a blanket or a teddy bear. Feeling calm and relaxed, however you achieve this, can result in a deeper, more refreshing night’s sleep.”

• Is Southampton home to the UK’s most loved teddy bear? Time4Sleep has also launched a competition to find The Nation’s Most Loved Teddy Bear.

Competition details can be found at time4sleep.co.uk.