VILLAGERS are to celebrate their connection with the world's most famous bear by holding a Winnie Walk and teddy bears' picnic on May 29.

Research has shown that AA Milne's stories about Winnie the Pooh were inspired by a bear that came to Wiltshire in 1914 along with the Canadian army that was based not far from Market Lavington.

The story of how a young vet called Harry had saved the bear from a trapper on a station platform in Canada and took her with him when he was sent to Europe to look after horses inspired the Lavington and District World War One commemoration group as part of its activities that will run until 2018.

Group chairman Frank Jones said: "The group was set up in 2014 by a group of villagers who wanted to mark the centenary of WW1. It was decided that we would run two activities every year from 2014 to 2018.

"All the events have generated a lot of interest in the district and now we are working on a project that will be aimed at families and dogs which is Winnie's Walk."

The walk will start at a stone seat on the green in Market Lavington at 11am and people will also be able to pay £2 to buy a trail map to find hidden bears.

Between noon and 3pm there will also be a barbecue, beer, tea and cake. People are encouraged to take along their own favourite bears and contest will be held to find the most remarkable.

But none is likely to be as remarkable as the tale of the bear cub which arrived on Salisbury Plain with vet Harry. Mr Jones said: "It is very possible, though not proven, that the train that took Winnie to the training area, unloaded the Canadians at Lavington station.

"There is evidence that Winnie was at West Down Camp in Tilshead and the nearest train station to the camp is Lavington so it is highly likely that she came through our district."

When time came for Harry to go to France he thought it would be safer to leave Winnie behind and she went to Regent's Park Zoo in London where a little boy called Christopher Robin used to visit him regularly. He called his bear Winnie and his father AA Milne used him as his famous book character."

A children's picture book has now been created charting Winnie's early adventures in Wiltshire and will be offered as a prize on the day of the walk.