A NORTH Tawton resident and her family have cheered up the streets of North Tawton.

Jo MacDonald and her family have yarn bombed the town, and news of their work has reached across the world via social media.

Yarn bombing involves colourful knitted or crocheted items created and sewn onto street furniture, including lamp posts, pillars, signs, in fact many varied locations.

Jo and her children, Georgia, Ebonie, Henry and Beth created sheep, toadstools, owls and much more.

Jo teaches at an after-school wool club at a local primary school.

She said that she kept it a secret, and many people guessed it was her behind the yarn bombing, until a complaint was received and she felt the need to defend her work.

Jo said the support of the community had been overwhelming.

She added that the town has a great wool heritage and said it would be great if the former woollen mill in the town could be reopened as a mill with a craft and textiles centre in it for the community.

Annette Ponsford was full of praise for the yarn bombing and said: “They add colour and excitement to an otherwise drab looking area.”

Lisa Santiago-Griggs said: “What a wonderful thing to do and to bring happiness and life back to a town ‘putting North Tawton on the map’.

“North Tawton should get with the fashion and be proud to have someone commit time and effort to a town at her own expense.”

Alan Quick