A SOAP star and his wife have chosen one of Mochdre-based Be My Bear’s Heartbeat Bears as a unique memento of the early weeks of their pregnancy.

Coronation Street star Sam Aston, who plays Chesney Brown, the father of quadruplets in the soap, and wife Briony were interviewed in OK! Magazine in June during which they revealed they had booked a scan at seven weeks and recorded their baby boy’s heartbeat inside one of the award-winning company’s teddy bears.

The photographs of their nursery include an image of them cuddling the fluffy bear while listening to their little boy’s heartbeat.

In the magazine interview, the couple revealed the bear will be going in a memory box.

Briony said: “This is all we had for so long, until we had our 12 week scan.”

Be My Bear has seen a huge increase in sales of heartbeat bears during lockdown.

Rhyl Journal:

OK! Magazine featuring Sam Aston and wife Briony. Pictures: Courtesy of Pippa Thomas

Pippa Thomas, director of Be My Bear, which is located at Mochdre Business Park, said: “It has been very reassuring for mums and dads-to-be to capture and replay the sound of their baby’s heartbeat, particularly in these testing times.

“It is a wonderful keepsake for before and after baby’s arrival into the world.

“It is nice to see Sam and his wife with the bear [from this area] as Sam, and his on screen wife, filmed that scene in Llandudno some time ago for Coronation Street on the Great Orme. It is another link.

“In terms of how they got the bear, we supply a number of scanning clinics. In the area where they live, they went into the clinic and had the scan and then had it recorded there and then.

“It is fantastic. We have had quite a few celebrities now who have been connected to our bears in one way or another. It is a bit of kudos.

“It is such a lovely keepsake as it is such as special special experience."

Pippa added that the popularity of the bears have helped keep the company going at this difficult time.

"They have actually predicted there will be a baby boom during lockdown," Pippa added.

"I think people want something that provides a little bit of reassurance during this difficult time. Not everyone goes for bears, some go for a black panther or a dinosaur - it is individual choice.

"They can be a comfort for mums-and-dads to be as so much is unknown and it can be a scary time, even more so now with mums-and-dads to be during this time. It can be an even more anxious time. It is hard enough for the majority of people."

Be My Bear teddy bears and animals had a starring role in the recent Killing Eve series and have been featured in X-Factor, and Hollyoaks.

"The bears featured in Killing Eve are still selling," Pippa said.

"We've had customers from China, the states and even Iceland."