By Phoebe Cox

Published 3rd Oct 2024, 13:22 BST

Updated 3rd Oct 2024, 14:38 BST

A young girl from Mansfield was thrilled to discover that her 'royal bear' design had won Harrods' esteemed 175th-anniversary competition – with her victory being the first time a customer has created one of the company's renowned bears.

Sofia Ingleby, an 11-year-old student at The Brunts Academy, was thrilled to learn that she had won a designing competition for one of the world's most renowned brands.

Earlier this year, Harrods announced the first 'Harrods Design-A-Bear Studio' and held a competition for customers to design a bear to be sold in the store.

The Harrods bear, named Henry after the company's founder, Charles Henry Harrod, is quintessentially British and features intricate details that reference the store's storied history.

Sofia designed the bear inspired by King Charles III's coronation, celebrating the regal occasion with the design of a bear adorned with a cape and crown.

Months after entering the competition, Sofia received her prize from a Harrods ‘Green Man’.

As part of her win, Sofia was given a Harrods bag filled with merchandise and treated to a luxurious afternoon tea at the Tiffany Blue Box Cafe in the store with her mum, Marisa.

This marks the first time in Harrods' 175 years of operation that a customer has designed a bear.

The bear is a limited edition, with only 175 bears produced.

Well done, Sofia! It looks amazing. What an achievement.

Pupils and staff at The Brunts Academy, located on Park Avenue and part of Greenwood Academies Trust, are celebrating receiving their A Level results today.

The Academy is pleased to announce a year of excellent results for pupils. Their determination and hard work has meant many have achieved strong results and will now progress onto their chosen next steps in higher education, jobs or apprenticeships.

There have also been some impressive individual performances. These include:

• Owen Banton, who successfully achieved an outstanding four A*s in chemistry, physics, maths and further maths. Owen has secured an apprenticeship degree with a national employer in engineering.
• Edward Close, who achieved three A*s in chemistry, physics and maths. Edward has secured his place to study music, multimedia and electronics at the University of Leeds.
• Izabela Kaminska, who is celebrating her A grade in finance, B grades in Polish and maths and a C grade in art. Izabela has secured her place to study fine art at Sheffield University.
• Lyla Stone, who secured an A grade in sociology, a B grade in psychology and a C grade in philosophy. Lyla has secured a degree law apprenticeship with Browne & Jacobson, Solicitors.
• Dawid Polarczyk, who earned an A* grade in maths; B grades in further maths, computer science and physics. Dawid has secured his place to study computer science at the University of Aberdeen.

Rachel Sutcliffe, Principal at The Brunts Academy, said:

“We are immensely proud of our pupils for their outstanding achievements in this year’s A-Level results. These results are a testament of their hard work, dedication and resilience throughout their studies. Our pupils have shown remarkable determination, and today we celebrate not only their academic success but also their growth as individuals.

“We are excited to see what they will do next as they embark on new and exciting chapters in their lives. The future is bright, and we are confident that they will continue to excel and make a positive impact in the world. We wish them all the very best for their futures.”