A young girl has been reunited with her beloved Mickey Mouse thanks to the power of social media.
Charlotte, 5, had left her favourite toy behind on a table in a rest area half way between Taumaranui and Te Kuiti.
Her father, Tony Stewart, even made a trip back from Starship Hospital, where Charlotte was a patient, to find Mickey.
When he failed to find it, Charlotte's mother, Ange Stewart, took to Facebook in a desperate search for information on its whereabouts.
"Please if anyone found it can they please help us to get it back!...She is as you can imagine beside herself," Mrs Stewart wrote "Please share and help us get him back."
Within a matter of days the more than 11,410 shares had helped locate Mickey in a bin at the Te Kuiti Warehouse some 50 kilometres from where the family had last seen the toy.
Mr Stewart said the toy, which his daughter just called Mickey, was special as it had been with her throughout her three years as a Starship patient.
"It's been with her the whole journey."
While the family wanted to keep their daughter's medical condition private they wanted to publically thank all those who helped reunite Charlotte and Mickey.
"We are so grateful for everyone who shared the post," Mr Stewart said. "Charlotte is overjoyed."
A picture on Mrs Stewart's Facebook page shows one happy little girl, hugging Mickey, who looked a little worse for wear but remained intact.
The family, who are currently heading back home, took the time to stop into the Warehouse for a photo op with the staff that helped reunite Charlotte with her beloved toy.