Paddington Bear given official UK passport by Home Office

Government issues official document to Peruvian-born character, listing him as Bear' under its observations

He has been one of the UK's favourite and most prominent refugees for two-thirds of a century. Now Paddington Bear - official name Paddington Brown - has been granted a British passport.

The co-producer of the latest Paddington film said the Home Office had issued the document to the fictional Peruvian-born character - listing for completeness the official observation that he is, in fact, a bear.