Novice knitters unveil crocheted Appleby Christmas tree

The tree has been put up in Appleby, near Scunthorpe

A 10ft (3m) tall crocheted Christmas tree has appeared in a North Lincolnshire village.

The tree and other festive decorations have been created by a group of eight novice yarn-bombers in Appleby, near Scunthorpe.

The women, most of whom have never knitted before, worked on the project in secret over the past year.

Yvonne Grant said the group, known as the Appleby Home Front, wanted to "bring a bit of joy" to the village.

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The tree was created by a group known as the Appleby Home Front

Yarn-bombing is a form of public art featuring knitted or crocheted decorations, often displayed in surprising locations or without warning.

However, the project was a challenge as most of the women had never picked up a pair of knitting needles before.

"I was the only one who knew a little bit about crocheting and knitting back then, and that was 12 months ago," Mrs Grant said.

"Our little group of eight has gone from zero to heroes."

The group say they hope to create a similar display for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Fellow member, Jane Smith said the project had created a tight bond between the group.

"We are all the best of friends and we speak to each other daily. It's brought us together," she said.

With the project completed Mrs Grant said she is now looking for a new idea.

"We are in a state of withdrawal at the moment because we've got nothing to do of an evening," she said.

"We've got plans hopefully for the Jubilee, I've got plans for a huge Queen Elizabeth."