Use preg_replace with items from mysql_fetch_array - php

Question

OK, so I'm not sure why but when i try to use preg_replace() on array items returned with mysql_fetch_array() I get no results but if I take those same results, make an array out of them it works fine.
Example
$pattern = '/^.*\b([0-9]{6}\s\D\d|[0-9]{6}\s\D[0-9]{2}|[0-9]{7}\s\D[0-9]{2})\b.*$/';
$replace = '$1';
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
$data[] = $row['description'];
}
foreach($data as $datas)
{
echo preg_replace($pattern, $replace, $datas) . '<br>';
echo '<br>';
}
all this does is return no matches, but if I copy those results and put them in an array it works fine and I know it's not the regex because I tested that before I got this far. Here is an example of the items working when I define them in a seperate array:
$subject = array(
"Suzuki DR100 ignition pickup. Wires to the coils have been repaired and one needs to be repaired again. 082862 S15 <img src = \">http://www.roofis27.com/motorcycle/12_08_28/061.JPG\">",
"1997 Suzuki VZ800 Marauder, Kick stand and spring. Chrome on end is starting to chip. 0121103 S19 <img src = \">http://www.roofis27.com/motorcycle/13_01_21/103.JPG\">",
"Honda 1982 VF750C Magna right-side radiator trim panel. Good, damage-free condition. Needs cut and polished. Cheap, fast shipping! 011425 H6 <img src=\">http://www.roofis27.com/motorcycle/10_01_14/030.JPG\"> n=\">",
);
foreach ($subject as $subjects)
{
echo preg_replace($pattern, $replace, $subjects) . '<br>';
}
Returns:
082862 S15
0121103 S19
011425 H6
So my question is how can i use preg_replace() on an array returned from mysql_fetch_array()?
or how else can you search and replace these codes within MySQL.
Just so I'm sure to make myself clear this time:
I have a MySQL database that has these location codes within the product_description, they are all right before the <img> tag within a long product description. I need them placed into the the model column of the database, which is in another table. I have no problem using SQL to do this, but cannot get these location codes removed from the description & by themselves. MySQL does not allow regex to be used this way that i am aware of so I'm trying to do it with php instead.
Any help please! I'm really stuck.....

Answer 1

After talking to some people, apparently there are characters in the return from mysql_fetch_array() that are invisible and that's why the regexp does not work. I got way better results using preg_match() as follows:
foreach($data as $datas)
{
$pattern = '([0-9]{6}\s\D[0-9]{2}|[0-9]{6}\s\D\d|[0-9]{7}\s\D[0-9]{2})';
preg_match($pattern, $datas, $matches, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE);
foreach($matches as $match){
echo $match[0] . '<br>';
}
}