Ice hockey fans throw 25,921 teddy bears onto the ice in bizarre scenes in Calgary

The toys will be distributed to charities and children in hospital

Ice hockey has a reputation about as far away from soft and cuddly as you can imagine - until last night that was.

In bizarre scenes, fans threw 25,921 teddy bears onto the ice during a game between Calgary Hitmen and Scotiabank Saddledome in the Western Hockey League.

Usually when objects are thrown from the stands onto the pitch it's some sort of protest, but the gesture here was part of the annual Teddy Bear Toss which has become a tradition across hockey leagues in North America.

The bears were gathered up and will be given to local charities and children in hospital before Christmas.

Watch the scenes in the video above...