Alcester 'queen of hearts' helps town through lockdown

Nuala Kelly found one of the Alcester hearts but put it back "for someone else to feel the love"

Crochet hearts and messages of kindness have been left around a town by a crafter dubbed "the queen of hearts".

The hearts and flowers have been found around Alcester in Warwickshire, leaving residents keen to identify the mystery knitter.

They are attached to notes reminding finders: "You are loved".

Residents said finding them has been "a pleasure" and helped them through difficult lockdown days.

Nanette Palliser said finding a heart was "a great boost on a day I am struggling"

Abi Hall told the BBC she found a crochet flower on Monday while out walking with her two children.

"It was actually my four-year-old who spotted one first," she said. "It really made her smile.

"It says, 'Be kind to yourself' so we had a lovely talk about what that means and the importance of looking after ourselves, especially at the moment."

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Finders have taken to a local community group on Facebook to share photos when they come across one of the knitted hearts.

Abi Hall said finding the flower with her children sparked a conversation about mental health

David Malin runs the Alcester News group and said it has "been a pleasure to share the photos".

"It's clear they have certainly brightened the days of the finders and it's been great to see the positivity created."

The identity of the person leaving the notes remains a mystery but locals say whoever it is is "amazing".

Caroline Fumagalli said the crafter would "never know how much you have helped me today".

She said she was "going through a really rough time and wanted to give up" before she found a crochet heart.