LITTLE Julian Schaefer has been reunited with his long lost toys.
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In an uncanny resemblance to Toy Story’s plot, his plush play friends have found their way back to him.
Last Tuesday, 52-year-old Steven Poulter was driving along Ocean Drive when he noticed a garbage bag fly from a trailer.
“I could see he was moving, there was a big trampoline on the back and the trailer was full of boxes and things,” Mr Poulter said.
When he picked it up Mr Poulter discovered a treasure trove of very well-looked after plush toys.
The tattered and torn bag had ‘Julian’ written on it.
Mr Poulter contacted the Port News in the hope of reuniting this little boy with his toys.
And the story has had a fairy-tale ending.
Julian’s father James Schaefer said he did not even realise the toys had gone missing.
In the middle of a big move, and still unpacking, Julian’s bag of lost toys were the last thing on his mind.
It was not until he opened Friday’s Port News, that the toys were staring back at him.
“He saw it in the paper, and we couldn’t believe it,” Mr Schaefer said. “We didn’t even realise, I guess it would have fallen off the back.”
But it is hard to tell who is happier about the reunion, Mr Poulter or five-year-old Julian.
“I’m very happy,” Mr Poulter said. “I’ve been asking about Julian everyday.”
“I’m thrilled,” said Sandra Lysaught, who has been holding the toys hostage on the living room lounge.
“I just know how some of these things are like family,” she said. “ They are their comforters if they’re moving house I could imagine the toys are a big part of settling back in.”
Mr Schaefer could not thank the family enough.
“It’s such a wonderful thing that people are willing to go through such lengths to return them, and I am ever so grateful,” he said.
“Julian just loves his stuffed toys and would be so devastated to be without them.”