Bolton: The woman recreating her home town in model form

Verona Medhurst says the hobby is her obsession

A woman who developed an "obsession" for making models of local landmarks while recovering from an operation could see her works put on public display.

Verona Medhurst, 56, makes clay and balsa models of some of the best known buildings in her home town of Bolton, Greater Manchester.

And her local council is now looking for somewhere to display them.

Mrs Medhurst said her front room had been "taken over by Bolton buildings".

"They are on my coffee table and my sofa", she said.

Verona Medhurst recreated Bolton's Deansgate

Mrs Medhurst was laid low by a series of operations in 2022, and being unable to drive meant she had to take time away from her job.

She "needed something to do" as she could not get out, so started making fairy houses and then moved on to making models of her local buildings and streets.

"I think it is a bit of an obsession, but I'm enjoying it and everybody else seems to be enjoying them," she said.

The first building Mrs Medhurst made was Ye Olde Pastie Shoppe

She said when she posted photos of her creations on social media, people would ask if they could come and view them.

She said she also gets requests for certain landmarks, but said some are just not possible.

Bolton Wanderers' former home at Burnden Park "would be too big," she said.

Bolton Council said it is looking for a suitable display venue for Mrs Medhurst's models.