Video: Hull phone box gets giant Red Nose for Comic Relief

A GROUP of knitters have received a ringing endorsement after more than meeting the challenge of turning a Hull phone box red.

Passers-by have been surprised after viewing the knitted cosy covering the phone box in Paragon Street, city centre.

The bizarre stunt was created by east Hull-based group the Knitwits to help celebrate Red Nose Day.

They were approached by the Comic Relief organisers just before Christmas.

Co-founder of the Knitwits, Liz Pacey, said: "I can't believe how good it looks. I feel very proud.

"I was very surprised when we were asked to do it but we were happy to give it a go.

"We all took on a section between the 15 of us and then got together to stitch it all together.

"I was panicking because we thought it might not fit. But we took care to make sure we knew the size.

"We got a few strange looks when measuring up the phone box but I think people decided that since we're of a mature age we can't be causing too much trouble."

The group carry out a lot of work for charity, helping the likes of Beverley-based Real Aid, sending knitted items to Africa and helping a charity for premature babies.

Mrs Pacey said: "This has certainly been our biggest challenge to date.

"We have done lots of things for charity and our group's co-founder Ann Brook, who has a daughter out in the Gambia so we send items to her to help people there.

"Doing something like this keeps the members on their toes.

"Knitting is growing again and you only have to look on the internet to see how many groups are being set up."

Knitwits member Marie Brown admits it was all hands on deck to get the cosy completed.

She said: "We had to start on the project around Christmas time.

"Everyone thought we were knitting stockings.

"We were each given a specific piece to do before meeting up to sew it all together.

"It's difficult to picture how it will work when you are knitting just one section.

"But looking at it in context, it works really well."

Fellow member Irene Stevens is delighted with the end product.

She said: "It is brilliant and better than I could have expected.

"Liz did so well to work it all out.

"Once we were told what section to do we could use whatever stitch we wanted and let our imaginations do the work.

"It is the biggest challenge we have faced but not the most intricate.

"A couple of Christmases ago we knitted an entire nativity scene."

All the wool for the phone box was donated by Yorkshire business A Woolly Tail.

What the Knitwits have done is similar to a phenomenon known as yarn bombing, which is a type of street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint.

Philippa Norman, of the Comic Relief team, has praised the Knitwits for their hard work.

She said: "I am so impressed with their work.

"They have done such a professional job. The red nose at the top was a big surprise.

"We were thinking of ways to turn Hull red and the phone boxes were an obvious choice. We couldn't just paint them so we came up with this idea which is like yarn bombing.

"Dressed up is the theme this year and we hope this encourages others to take part and dress up.

"We always get fantastic support for Red Nose Day in Hull."

Dressing up red is just one of the many ways people can do something funny for money on Red Nose Day, which takes place on Friday, March 15.

Visit www.rednoseday.com for more fundraising information and ideas for Red Nose Day.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the Knitwits can visit www.knitspirationhull.com or call 01482 705723.