DARMSDEN, SUFFOLK – Residents of the sleepy Suffolk village of Darmsden were left stunned this week when beloved 1970s children’s TV icon Bungle the Bear was spotted panhandling for cash and cigarettes outside the Hope & Anchor pub.

Entertainment Editor: Arthur Pint

The sighting was made by Mildred Thong, 72, who described the encounter as “deeply upsetting,” though she added, “he always did seem a bit weird.”

Mrs Thong, a loyal Rainbow viewer in the late 1970s with her children Ken and another Ken, said she recognised Bungle immediately despite the “tatty fur, bloodshot eyes, and a faint smell of White Lightning.”

“He asked me for a Rizla and a quid for the fruit machine,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘Blimey, that’s Bungle – he used to live with Zippy and George. Now he’s got a Lidl bag and a limp.’”

Since Rainbow ended in 1997, Bungle is reported to have struggled with alcohol, women, prescription gummibears, and a string of unsuccessful pantomime appearances. In 2012, he made headlines after being arrested on suspicion of stalking co-star Jane, though no charges were brought, and Jane has since referred to it as “an unpleasant experience during which I was exposed to things I never saw on the show.”

Pot of crap at the end of the rainbow

Locals have reportedly contacted the RSPCA, unsure whether Bungle still qualifies as wildlife or simply “a man in a bear suit who’s lost his way.”

When approached for comment, the pub landlord said, “He’s welcome in here as long as he doesn’t sing the Rainbow theme again.”

Fans of the show have taken to social media to share support. One user wrote: “It’s heartbreaking. He helped teach me colours and the joys of dungarees”

A crowdfunding campaign, “Help Bungle Bear It,” has so far raised £90.

1970s children’s TV responsible for crime wave