A LOCAL woman has brought joy to hundreds in an East Lancashire community after she ‘yarn-bombed’ a post box in a town.
To celebrate the Queen’s upcoming Platinum Jubilee, Katherine Collins crocheted an elaborate crown, complete with jewels, and secured it to a post box.
You can find it just outside the Post Office in King Street, Whalley.
Since appearing earlier this week, it has taken the local community by storm with hundreds talking about it on social media and sharing their own photos of the creation.
Katherine, from Billington, said she has been “blown away” by the kind comments.
She said: “I am genuinely blown away by the comments and I’m feeling very warm and fuzzy inside that I’ve made so many people smile.
"It’s bringing the community together and creating a talking point between complete strangers, which is just above and beyond what I expected in all honesty.
“I made the topper to help the community celebrate the jubilee and put a smile on faces young and old.
“It probably took about 15-20 hours to make in total, in terms of complexity it was actually pretty easy, the assembly and shaping was the hard part.”
Katherine and fellow crocheter, Keely Robertson, have been decorating post boxes around Billington and Whalley postboxes for the last year.
Remembrance day poppies, insects and fish-filled lake designs are just some of the 'yarn-bombs' to have delighted locals in the past.
“We tend to alternate the two between us,” Katherine said. “Keely’s will go up in Billington very soon.
“I started crocheting about five years ago and it’s genuinely the best decision I’ve ever made.
“I genuinely love it and taught myself from YouTube videos.
“I’ve also been able to pass the passion on to others as I founded a local crochet group who meet weekly, and I’ve been teaching a few people who attend how to crochet.”
Frank Lumsden, who is part of the Lancashire Telegraph's Camera Club, shared a photo of the post box to a local Facebook group.
It has since received more than 500 likes with dozens commenting on it.
He said: “I thought it was brilliant.
“I have seen other crocheted figures and scenes that these ladies have done previously on this post box… they have always been very well done.
“But this Jubilee Crown crochet is absolutely the best one I have ever seen. It’s a very patriotic gesture that I’m sure will be so well appreciated by the local people.”
Commenting on the picture, one person said: “Love seeing these, always makes me smile … so clever.”
“Thank you for taking the time to make something so special for our village - spreading the happiness,” said another.
A third Facebook user said: “Absolutely beautiful, well done.”
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