A COUPLE who have travelled the world have been left devastated by the tragic loss of their travel partner – a finger puppet called Eddie the Eagle.

Martin and Carrie Blakesley, both 62, travelled all the way to Clackmannan from their home in Salt Spring Island, in the Gulf Islands.

The couple were celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary en route to The Binkhouse, Inversnaid, and were cycling round the UK and eventually over to the Netherlands.

However, Eddie, who sits on the front of one of their bicycles, was accidentally left as they took photos to show their friends and family back home. The well-travelled pair are now appealing for the safe return of their beloved finger puppet, who went missing on August 28.

Martin, a retired head teacher, said: “We flew with our bikes into Glasgow on August 23rd and cycled up the west shore of Loch Lomond, crossed to Inversnaid, then down to Aberfoyle, up to Callander, Dunblane, down to Bridge of Allan, Dunfermline, and Kirkcaldy.

“We’ll then travel up to St Andrews, then back down to Edinburgh to catch a train to Crewe; cycle to Shrewsbury then east to Leicester to visit an aunt; to Harwich for the overnight ferry to Netherlands on the 12th, a loop around Netherlands, then home from Amsterdam on September 23rd.

“Ed is a Little finger puppet, just the right size for sitting in a handlebar bag, showing the way. We're lost without him. He doesn't take up much room anywhere, except in our hearts.

“He's been to Mexico several times, kayaked the Colorado River several times, kayaked on the British Columbia/Yukon border earlier this year, ridden with us from London to Cephalonia, Greece, on our bikes a few years ago. He’s been everywhere with us.

“Sadly we left him atop a Clackmannan sign on the cycle path after taking his photo there. We're crestfallen, as he's travelled extensively with us. Ed is about 5 inches tall and weighs about 3 ounces. He's black with a white head and a yellow beak and feet. Please help reunite us.

“Carrie, Ed and I are a team, and we can't believe he's gone.”

If anyone has spotted Ed or knows his current whereabouts, they are urged to contact us here at the Advertiser so that he can be safely returned to his grieving family.