WHEN US President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub tethered to a tree in 1902, he had no idea where it would lead.

Nearly 100 years on and his act of kindness, which inspired the naming of the teddy bear, has helped fill a Durham City hotel with bears dressed as Dr Who, Edward and Mrs Simpson and the kids from Fame.

To commemorate the centenary of everyone's favourite cuddly toy, Durham's Bear Bottoms shop has launched a range of teddies to represent every decade since.

They include everything from the suffragette and James Dean to Star Wars and Jackie Charlton - a century of stars reflected in stuffed animals.

Bear Bottoms owner Joanne McDonald, who held a birthday party in the nearby Three Tuns Hotel yesterday, reflected on their popularity.

"The story of the teddy bear is fascinating," she said.

"When Richard Steiff made the first one in 1902 it was in need of a decent name.

"And, by coincidence, Theodore Roosevelt was using the story of him saving the bear cub in his election campaign.

"He refused to shoot the cub tethered to a tree because he thought it was unsporting. He then became associated with bears and that's how the name of the new toy came about."

As well as the new collection of specially-commissioned teddies, Bear Bottoms, on Elvet Bridge, is launching a catalogue, which details the history of the teddy bear.