A nimble fingered grandma has weaved some festive cheer into the traditional nativity scene after knitting sets of cuddly Christmas characters to raise money for her North Walsham church.

Audrey Woods, 74, has made three sets of her wooly figures - depicting the three wise men, a shepherd and his flock, Mary, Joseph, a donkey and the baby Jesus complete with crib - to sell on internet auction site eBay in aid of St Nicholas Church.

And her crafty creations have been selling fast for sums of up to �35.

The keen cross stitcher and crochet fan from Kimberley Road said it took an afternoon to knit each character, but she had been putting them together in her spare time between making cuddly toys, scarves, hats and blankets for disaster struck areas through her role with Norfolk Knitters.

She added: 'I knit them in between things or if I have got the right colour wool that I think will do for one of the figures. They're all fairly the same shapes, you just do them in different colours and different head gear.

'I suppose the donkey's the hardest - trying to get his legs to stand straight.'

Mrs Woods began making the nativity scenes for St Nicholas' posada - a ceremony in which families 'host' the nativity in the days leading up to Christmas - but then volunteered to make more to contribute to the church coffers.

Vicar Derek Earis said the grandmother-of-four was a 'long standing, loyal, hard working' parishioner.

He added: 'We have two of her nativity sets that go round the congregation (for posada) and they're very well received. They're rather charming.'