Reindeer in Spain is reunited with Josh

Seven-year-old Joshua Senior had just returned from his first family holiday abroad, in Salou, when he realised his stuffed reindeer, Rudy, was nowhere to be found.

Joshua’s mum Audra Adleigh, from Maizebrook, Dewsbury, said he was beside himself.

“There have been times when he was really poorly and Rudy was always there,” she said.

Only some fortunate timing and the diplomatic efforts of a Heckmondwike travel agent lead to Rudy’s safe passage from Catalonia to West Yorkshire.

“Josh had taken him to bed every night and I must have missed him when we packed up. We only realised he was missing when we got home. He was very upset.

“I wasn’t sure what to do so I called the travel agent. They really went above and beyond.”

Staff at Total Travel, in Northgate, Heckmondwike, pulled out all the stops to locate the toy, which was supplied by the Wish Upon a Star charity when Joshua was first diagnosed.

Rudy accompanied Joshua on a day-trip to Lapland as well as throughout his treament for leukaemia.

Total Travel manager Katie Battye said: “We phoned the hotel but there was a bit of a language barrier.”

She tried to arrange for a courier to collect Rudy, but the plan was foiled by the hotel’s package collection policy.

Fortunately a friend of Katie’s, Darren Kellett, was on holiday in a nearby area of Spain and travelled to the hotel to escort Rudy back home.

Katie said: “The little boy was heartbroken. It was a little bit crazy but you have to do these things.”

And Joshua was delighted when all worries went out the window as he was reunited with Rudy at Total Travel yesterday.