HIS manners were impeccable and he managed to make his way to London from Peru with just a duffel coat and suitcase, so he might, despite his ursine lineage, be a decent role model for the rest of us, it was suggested yesterday.

Paddington Bear, the central character in more than 150 children’s books and a TV and film franchise, was also centre stage at a memorial service at St Paul’s for his creator, the author Michael Bond.

He, it was said, had always paused when called upon to make a decision, to ask, “What would Paddington do?”

“I was particularly pleased by the idea,” said Stephen Fry, one of the guests at the service. “I think that would be a good tattoo for all of us.”

Hugh Bonneville gives a reading during a memorial service for Paddington author Michael Bond at St Paul's Cathedral

Mr Bond, who died in June, at 91, was a BBC studio cameraman when in 1958 he published his first Paddington story, A Bear Called Paddington. His granddaughter, Robyn Jankel, read an extract from the story at the service.

His daughter, Karen Jankel, described her father as a “master of one-liners”, who could see the humour in any situation and had “a twinkle in his eye”.

Paddington was “so real” that the bear was seen as a member of their family and “an extension of my father, which means he will always be with us,” she said.

Ms Jankel said she had observed that “women had an unfortunate tendency to fall in love” with her father. “Despite this” he “only married twice”, and his widow and his first wife were both at the service.

The actor Hugh Bonneville, who has lent his voice to the character of Mr Brown in two Paddington films, read tributes from the author’s fans.

“Michael was as kindly, dignified, charming and lovable as the immortal Paddington Bear he gave us,” Mr Bonneville said.

Mr Bond’s publisher, Ann-Janine Murtagh, said his books “imbued deeply held values of courtesy, kindness, justice, tolerance, hope and optimism”.

Before deciding anything, ask '˜What would Paddington do?'