TWO-year-old Jacob Swaries was left heartbroken when his best mate suddenly went missing.
The toddler from Great Lever took his beloved Bob the Builder with him wherever he went -- even to bed at night.
But tragedy struck when Bob disappeared following a day out at Haigh Hall Country Park.
The loss prompted sleepless nights and endless worry for parents Yvonne and David, made worse by the fact that Woolworth's did not make "Talking Bob" anymore.
David and Yvonne looked high and low without any joy and staff at Haigh Hall Country Park could find no trace.
Yvonne, a medical secretary, said: "Jacob loved his Bob the Builder. He was only a small Bob but he talked and that is what Jacob loved about him. He used to love giving him a cuddle.
"He carried him around everywhere and was very upset when he went missing."
So concerned was Yvonne that she wrote to the Bolton Evening News asking whether or not we could fix it. And guess what?
Yes we can!
Delighted Jacob is now the proud, and careful, owner of Drilling Bob -- weeks before he goes onto the shelves in Woolworth's stores across the country.
And Jacob, all smiles after we introduced him to his new best mate, said: "I think my new Bob is great and I promise to look after him. I really love Bob."
A spokesman for Woolworth's said: "We were pleased to send Jacob a new Bob the Builder and we hope he likes it. What's more this Bob is not due out until early September.
"If you press the green and red buttons on Bob's drill he will speak and drill for you."
He told Jacob: "Be careful -- hold on to this Bob as he has lots of digging to do for you!"
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