THE OWNER of a treasured doll that was accidentally donated to a school raffle is appealing to track the winner down.

Polly – a doll with straw-like hair, purple ribbons and wearing a purple white dress – was last seen at Windmill Primary School.

Her owner Natalie Boyce said she was devastated when she discovered her daughter had accidentally taken the beloved toy and given it away for her school's raffle.

The doll was given to Mrs Boyce by her dad and was her first Christmas present.

When Mrs Boyce was 11 her dad passed away and Polly came to be an important reminder for her of him.

The mother-of-two said: "I remember specifically my Dad giving it to me when I was really little.

"It means the absolute world to me, because after he died it was one of the only things we kept of him.

"I was absolutely devastated I couldn't believe it when it was gone.

"It was something I had which always reminded me of him – I used to take her everywhere with me – it was almost like he would be with me."

In the past few weeks Mrs Boyce, who lives in Headington, said she had been redecorating her daughter's bedroom and thought it strange she had not seen Polly.

The 27-year-old said: "I knew I hadn't seen her in a while and when I asked my daughter about it she took a long time to tell me because she knew how upset I was.

"The raffle was back in January and before we set off for it I checked all of the toys she had chosen.

"But then she ran upstairs and said 'Mummy I have a few more up here'.

"I thought she just meant a few of those Co-Op toys as she has so many of them.

"I didn't realise she had gone back up for Polly - I should have checked."

Polly, among the other toys, were then donated to the school-run event.

Mrs Boyce hopes the raffle winner will be able to reunite her with the item that has such sentimental value.

She added: "I had only just got her back, because she had been at my Mum's, when I asked her to bring Polly over.

"If someone were to call and say they had her, I would be so happy I think I would cry.

"It is a piece of my dad and I just want her back."

If you have seen Polly or were the lucky prize winner contact Mrs Boyce on: n_l_boyce@msn.com