Woolly house is mammoth project

About 500 women have helped create the knitted house

A knitted house is to go on show in Devon later this month to raise money for charity.

Alison Murray, 45, from Bideford, came up with the idea, which is made up of many different squares of wool each measuring 24cm (10in) sewn together.

The completed 140sq ft (13 sq m) multi-coloured dwelling was knitted by hundreds of women across the world.

The house, which even has a knitted stove and table, goes on display at Atlantic Village from 28 June.

I want to show people that knitting is not something that granny does Alison Murray

About 500 women from across the UK, USA, Canada and Spain sent knitted contributions to the house.

It is knitted from top to bottom, apart from the wooden door and windows and will be surrounded by a knitted garden, with knitted flowers and knitted 12ft-high trees.

Ms Murray hopes the house will raise thousands of pounds for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and North Devon Hospice.

"We have probably raised around £3,000 already from donations from the knitters," she said.

She hopes to be able to take the house and garden on a UK tour to raise even more cash for the charities.

Her first big knitting project was a 30ft Christmas tree which raised £13,000 for charity when it went on show at Atlantic Village last Christmas. Before that she knitted items on commission including a full English breakfast.

"I want to show people that knitting is not something that granny does," she said.