A PAIR of jet-setting teddies have notched up more than a quarter of a million air miles each after a decade of travelling in style.

Lovable twosome Dyogenes and Smokey are owned by retired school financial manager Paul Palmer of Hadleigh.

The well-travelled pair passed the major milestone after a trip on British Airways’ prestigious business class-only service from London City Airport to New York’s JFK last week.

Mr Palmer, a British Airways Gold card holder, first flew on British Airways’ predecessor, British European Airways, in August 1962.

The idea of recording the furry friends’ flying miles came about when he and his partner Roy took the two bears on a British Airways flight to Lisbon and the cabin service director suggested they should record their air miles.

Since then, every single bear-mile has been signed off by the captain of each aircraft in specially provided Skyflyer logbooks, and scores of British Airways cabin crew have looked after the cuddly duo.

Mr Palmer said: “It’s a real achievement. How many other bears do you know that have flown more than a quarter of a million miles in ten years?”

Although cabin crews are often amused by the travelling teddies, they soon get on board with the idea.

“The crew always think it’s the funniest thing,” Mr Palmer said. “We’ve flown all over and reached 248,121 miles, but with this trip to New York they have passed over the quarter of a million mile mark.”