The Repair Shop experts Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell reduced a guest to tears with their exquisite work on a treasured family heirloom in Wednesday's heartwarming episode (March 26).

On the popular BBC show, soft toy experts Amanda and Julie encountered Ian Lawman from Scunthorpe, who brought in a century-old doll that once belonged to his late sister.

Ian recounted how his sister Denise cherished the doll gifted by their aunt when she was merely a few months old. He described the doll as a pillar of comfort for Denise, who struggled with learning disabilities throughout her life.

Sharing a moving backstory, Ian revealed: "Unfortunately, my sister died in a road traffic accident at the age of 24," adding, "Sadly, two days prior we had a bit of an argument. We never argued and never made up, and two days later, she was tragically killed."

He continued: "The doll stayed in the bedroom for a few years after. Then my parents decided to put it in the loft, and I've just discovered it," reports .

Making a heartfelt request to the Teddy Bear Ladies, Ian specified that he didn't wish for the doll to look brand new, as it would diminish its sentimental value. Nonetheless, he sought help to mend its legs, and to fashion a new hairstyle and dress resembling the doll's original garments.

Ian expressed his deep connection to the doll, stating: "This was [my sister's] toy, this was a part of her. It sits in my heart," before entrusting the doll to the experts' care.

Julie meticulously worked to preserve the fragile paint using specialised glue, while Amanda undertook the creative task of sewing a vintage 1920s-style dress in pristine white fabric.

Paper mache was employed to mend the fractures in the doll's limbs, and then restoration ace David Burville was called in to bring mobility back to its legs.

When Ian later revisited the barn with his partner Nicola, he was overcome with emotion upon seeing the rebuilt doll.

"Oh wow. She's got hair, she's got a dress very similar to what I remember, she's got fingers and she's stood upright. It's absolutely amazing," he exclaimed with tears in his eyes.

Ian expressed that his sister would be "overwhelmed" by the sight of the transformed doll, remarking: "It was her life, she loved it. She's watching now, I'm sure."

He finished with a heartfelt note: "The doll symbolises closure for me. My sister and I had a really horrific argument before she passed, and I never had a chance to apologise, so that's been eating away at me. But now the doll's repaired, I just feel that that chapter is now closed and I can move on."

The Repair Shop is available to stream on BBC iPlayer