Yarn bomber winds up wool after five years

A mysterious knitter who has delighted city residents for five years with their post box toppers has decided to hang up their needles and wind in their wool.

The anonymous guerrilla knitter and crocheter, known only as the Secret Yarn Bomber, has decorated boxes in Ely, Cambridgeshire, with their creations, including nods to current affairs and holidays.

Previous toppers on the Royal Mail boxes have marked Halloween, Remembrance Day, Christmas and the Chinese New Year.

Earlier this year, their creative streak came to an end, and the yarn bomber has now told the BBC they hoped "maybe some other crafty person can take over - and I will always be grateful for the kind comments".

Yarn bombers are often anonymous, sometimes working in groups to decorate post boxes and monuments with natty knitting.

Ely's bomber said their decision to quit after five years of secretly decorating the town was a result of "time, life and money".

"But mainly time."

They added: "One final stitch. Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end.

"Thank you for being part of this mystery.

"The yarn is almost gone."

The Royal Mail has previously said it "enjoyed seeing the various postbox toppers that different groups have showcased across the UK".

However, it stressed that knitters should take care not to obstruct access to the boxes for customers or employees collecting mail.

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