Terror Teds proving a hit for Staffordshire businesswoman

Sarah Holmes, aged 25, of Saredon Lane, Great Saredon, near Wolverhampton, decided to start making the Terror Teds after her partner was unable to find one to buy for her in the UK.

"It was coming up to my birthday, and because I like those type of bears, my boyfriend was looking for one to buy me as a present, but the only ones he could find were in the USA.

"So I decided, because I'm quite arty, I'd make one myself. In fact, I made a couple, and put them up for sale on Etsy.

"They sold pretty much straight away and I thought I must be on to something."

Because of the success of Sarah's business she has now quit her job as a healthcare assistant.

"I've always been creative, and this really makes me use my imagination and put my skills to the test," she said. "I just advertise the bears online and then customise them by hand.

"Each bear can take up to a day, but since I have a few best sellers now, I can usually whiz through those, making around four or five a day."

Sarah has even launched her own website to sell the bears both in the UK and beyond.

"Fans of the bears are people who really like horror movies, like me, people who are after something different than the traditional, average bear."

Sarah's creations have even become the basis of a gruesome horror book by Matt Shaw and a film producer from the USA has contacted her for the teds to become film props in a short horror film.

"I can't believe how popular they've been," Sarah added, "I couldn't even put a figure on how many I've sold, but its into the hundreds. I have 42 orders to make this week now too!"

The toymaker is hoping that, as her business expands, she will be able to take on staff to help her create the bears in her special design room in her home.

"I've advertised at local colleges and art centres in the hope that someone will want to join in."

For more information on the bears, visit www.terrorteds.com or www.facebook.com/terrorteds