Butcher reunites boy, 3, with toy elephant

The mother of a three-year-old boy who has been reunited with his toy elephant which had been sitting in the window of a butcher's shop has trumpeted the power of community for its swift return.

Catherine Wilson, an independent property expert, retrieved the grey toy from M Moen & Sons in Clapham, south London, on Wednesday following an online tip-off 24 hours after Elephant had been reported missing at bedtime by her tearful son.

The 42-year-old told BBC London: "This situation would never happen anywhere else - it's testament to Clapham and the people here."

Matt Smith, head butcher at M Moen & Sons for 14 years, said: "When social media works, it works."

The call went out on Tuesday for any sightings of Elephant, who according to Mrs Wilson is her son's "pride and joy".

Following a reported sighting of the four-legged fluffy toy, with whom her son is "obsessed", Mrs Wilson's husband trawled the streets near their home late at night - but to no avail.

Unbeknown to the Wilsons, Elephant had already been spotted on a zebra crossing by the owner of the butcher's, Garry Moen, and placed in the window of his store.

Mrs Wilson, who like her son was in tears about Elephant's disappearance, told BBC London: "I felt like a bit of an idiot to be so upset about this but it instantly calms him when he's upset.

"I never thought I'd see him again: if you lose it, it's the worst thing in the world. He went to bed in tears, it was awful."

But in a dramatic turn of events, a woman who had seen Mrs Wilson's appeal on Instagram spotted the toy in the window of the butcher's on The Pavement, close to Clapham Common station, and messaged her.

Mr Smith - who described Mrs Wilson as "over the moon" about finding her son's toy - told BBC London he came to realise he and Elephant had become the talk of the town.

"I've just served a customer who said he's seen me all over social media," he said.

"It's a close-knit community round here."

Mrs Wilson added: "For me, I'm all about community and this is one of the reasons why we wanted to move home from New York.

"I've lived in this area a long time. I'm so committed and love this area. I live, sleep and breathe Clapham."

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