You might not think that the Met are looking particularly cuddly at the moment, what with having scraped through on a not guilty verdict for gunning down an unarmed Mark Duggan, but you'd be wrong.

In an effort to make up budget shortfalls Scotland Yard is looking for a private company to run an online shop selling teddy bears and other assorted tat to make a profit to shore up the thin blue line.

The Met's top-selling cop branded souvenir is the Bobby Bear - a uniformed teddy. So if you want to make sure there's enough boots on the streets to keep down the simmering discontent this summer or even buy the Met that brand new water cannon Boris Johnson's hankering after, then buy the toy that makes sure your little ones will head to bed when they're told to - or else.