A desperate mum put out an urgent plea to Facebook after her young son asked for a ball he lost four years ago on his Christmas list for Santa.
After searching every shop for the last four years for a ball similar to her eight-year-old George's lost toy, Marie Docherty took to The Motherload Facebook group for help.
To her delight and astonishment, within minutes of posting the request she had not one but two offers which Marie described as a ' Christmas miracle'.
The 39-year-old told the ECHO: "It was just amazing, I can't believe it! I was crying when one of the members Lily White sent a picture of the ball and said I could have it.
"It was really a last ditch effort to get hold of the ball after my son said he was asking Santa for it. I tried to tell him that Santa probably didn't have the materials to make it anymore but his answer to that was that he would draw him a picture.
"So I wrote the Facebook post and hopped in the shower. I couldn't believe it when I came back to my phone and saw all these notifications. My phone wouldn't load them quick enough."
In the post, Marie, who works as a part-time finance officer for a charity, wrote: "Does anybody have a red ball like this with a blue star lurking anywhere? It was bought in a multipack of four balls about five years ago (told you it was a long shot!!)?
"My eight year old son lost his red ball (with blue star) about four years ago, left it in the park (in a bush) and then when we went back we couldn’t find it. But, even now FOUR YEARS LATER whenever he is tired he still gets upset about it. Last night he said he was sad about losing ‘the first thing in his life that was important’.
"I have tried every shop I have been to in the last four years with no luck and I’ve purchased various red balls online with a view to adding the blue star, but none of the balls have made the grade.
"He has now decided to put it on his CHRISTMAS LIST for Santa!! So if, by any chance, you have one matching this description I would be willing (read desperate) to take it off your hands (I would of course pay for it and for postage)."
The post in The Motherload group, which has more than 85,000 members described as MOLOs, has attracted more than 1,100 reactions and more than 500 comments - many of them from members gripped by how the story would play out.
One member said: "We have to see his reaction Christmas day!!! Soooo many molos invested in this now!!haha"
Another wrote: "This is why the internet exists. Don't you dare NOT post a vid of him on xmas day!!!!"
But when member Lily White responded that she had the ball and Marie could have it, she was overwhelmed.
Marie, from Durham, added: "It really is a Christmas miracle, I can't thank the group enough. I was crying and shaking as I was reading all the messsages. The ball is in mint condition and unused.
"I think I'm going to wrap it up for George in a little box and a ribbon with a tag from Santa saying sorry it took so long - but I was searching the whole world to find the ball."
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