'You only have to look at him now - limp, threadbare, battered, darned, the stuffing literally knocked right out of him, to see how much he must have been hugged.' Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian
'There exists an embarrassing series of black-and-white photographs of me gambolling in a park, Blue Ted clamped firmly under one arm as if no force on earth could ever pry him loose.' Photograph: Public domain
'It was given to my mother, by the members of a class she was teaching, when she went on maternity leave.' Photograph: Andrew Hasson/Guardian
'I've just always had him. I never went so far as to name him, but a strong bond was formed between us when he survived a terrible attack.' Photograph: Teri Pengilley/Guardian
'Without wishing to be in any way disloyal, Burro is not cuddly. As he is made out of some kind of industrial-strength sacking material, I would have to say that he is actually quite rough.' Photograph: Stephen Shepherd/Guardian
'I think his principal role for me was as a mummy substitute. I can distinctly recall clinging on to him and feeling safer as a result.' Photograph: Public domain
