A treasured toy horse handmade by a convalescing soldier has been restored in emotional scenes on The Repair Shop.
When Royal Artillery soldier George Forster served in Italy as a signaller during the Second World War, a motorbike accident left him in hospital for three months.
While recovering from serious leg injuries, George made a leather toy horse he named Garibaldi.
The toy was later played with by his daughters Ann and Shirley.
Speaking about former teacher George’s wartime suffering, Ann said: “Garibaldi reminds us of what my father had to go through.”
The toy was rediscovered with flaking leather, its mane and tail gone and the bridle broken when he died in 2012, at the age of 94.
Sisters Ann Purden and Shirley Leitch were desperate for it to be restored for his 10 great-grand-children to enjoy as they did.
On BBC1’s Repair Shop tomorrow, leather expert Suzie Fletcher manages to nurse the toy back to health.
Ann, who lives in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, said: “A vehicle towing a gun carrier knocked my father off his bike. He suffered with pain all his life.
“I think making the horse was something to keep him occupied in hospital.
He was very handy. He made us dressing gowns out of Army blankets. We used to ride dolls on Garibaldi’s back. He had a hard life!”
Retire nurse Ann, 69, and sister Shirley, 74, found the toy in a “sorry state”. “Poor Garibaldi! Shirley wrapped him in a pillowcase. Every time you touched him another piece of leather flaked off.”
The toy is being displayed on her sideboard, ready for the grandchildren as soon as they can visit.
She said: “Garibaldi reminds us of my dad, how much we loved him and what a great man he was."
*The Repair Shop Monday to Friday, BBC1, 4.30pm.
