PADDINGTON bear celebrated his birthday with children at a Sussex nursery.

The bear shared his favourite marmalade sandwiches with children at Headstart Nursery in Horsham, to mark his 39th year as the mascot for children's charity Action Medical Research.

Paddington has been at the heart of fundraising for the charity since his creator, Michael Bond, met the Horsham charity’s founder, Duncan Guthrie, in 1976 and his friendly face has helped to attract thousands of new supporters who together have raised millions of pounds to help babies and children.