Nancy's nimble knitting nets £1,000 for Exmouth lifeboat station

An 84-year-old Westcountry woman has raised over £1,000 for the RNLI by selling more than a hundred of her knitted hats.

Exmouth RNLI volunteer Nancy Thompson, who has been offering her help to the lifeboats charity for nearly 18 years, has sold 140 of her crocheted creations since starting the fundraising campaign 16 months ago.

Nancy Thompson, centre, with fellow volunteers Diane Snapes, Maureen Chandler, Mavis Prideaux and Margaret Bowden modelling her knitted hats
Nancy Thompson sports one of her own creations

Mrs Thompson, whose son Robert Thompson is a volunteer crew member at Exmouth RNLI, began knitting hats for premature babies in Africa before turning her needles to larger headwear.

Mrs Thompson said: "Knitting for babies was a very quick project because they were tiny little hats, I would finish just after I had started.

"I was looking for a bigger project."

Mrs Thompson sells her hats, which come in beanie, peaked and cloche styles, for £7.50 at the Exmouth RNLI shop on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. The hats are also available on RNLI stalls at various events held throughout the year, and all proceeds go directly to the Exmouth lifeboat station.

To keep Mrs Thompson raising money for the lifesaving charity, any donations of new Aran yarn are welcome at the RNLI station on Queens Drive, Exmouth.