Giant scarf unfurled to support Bridport Community Kitchen

The scarf stretched for more than 400m from the community kitchen to Bridport Town Hall

A hand-knitted scarf measuring more than 400m (1,300ft) has been unfurled as the culmination of a community knitting effort.

Volunteers in Dorset created the multi-coloured scarf to raise money for the Bridport Community Kitchen.

The charity provides support for the homeless and vulnerable as well as running arts and crafts activities.

Organiser Bev Thornton said she "couldn't stop people knitting". So far, more than £2,000 has been raised.

Supporters sponsored each square of the giant scarf which took 30 minutes to be rolled out through the town.

The scarf was laid out through the streets of Bridport

Ms Thornton said it had been a "great community effort".

"It was so nice to see so many people contribute and raise the profile of the kitchen. It's so much more than a soup kitchen - people need to know who we are and use the service."

Work began on the scarf in October.

It was knitted, one square at a time, by the kitchen's users, its knit and natter group and other volunteers.

As well as knitters in Bridport, contributions came from friends and family elsewhere, including one knitted piece from Australia.

The project was the idea of mayor of Bridport Dave Bolwell who had chosen the community kitchen as one of the charities he and his wife supported during their year in office.

The scarf was rolled out earlier from the group's premises in Priory Lane to Bridport Town Hall in Bucky Doo Square.

There are now plans for it to be cut up to make blankets for an orphanage in Kenya and also for the RSCPA.

Spare wool was also used to make hats which are being sold to raise money for the charity.

Volunteers have knitted the giant scarf over the past six months