A POLAR bear helped to educate shoppers on a busy high street — once they got close enough to realise it wasn’t real.

Bjorn the seven-year-old polar bear, actually a man inside a life-like costume, and his handler Ursula, both from street entertainment company Los Kaos, were in New Road in Gravesend to entertain passers-by on Saturday.

Ursula dispensed some facts about the bear’s habitat in the Arctic while offering the chance to see what the bear would look like up-close.

Los Kaos director Kim Kaos said: “Bjorn and Ursula are always entertaining and the people of Gravesend had a great time seeing them and learning more about polar bears.”

Bjorn and Ursula’s visit was part of Gravesham Council’s Christmas in Gravesend programme of winter-themed events.

For more details, go to gravesham.gov.uk or call 01474 337000.

For more Gravesend news, visit newsshopper.co.uk/news/local/northkent