STEPHEN PULLINGER It was a mission that took a good deal longer than Nelson's task of sewing up victory over the French.

STEPHEN PULLINGER

It was a mission that took a good deal longer than Nelson's task of sewing up victory over the French.

At the time of last year's Trafalgar bicentenary celebrations, Norfolk Quilters vowed to honour the national hero with a special work of art - completing their painstaking

task just in time for this year's Trafalgar Day.

Their colourful, panelled quilt has been handed over and hung up at the Norfolk Nelson Museum in Yarmouth to greet today's Trafalgar Day visitors.

Curator Faith Carpenter said: “People often finish their visit to the museum and say, 'well, where's the link with Norfolk?'

“Now they will easily be able to see the county links by looking at the quilt which we are hanging by the entrance.”

Eight quilters, including one man, Laurence Steel, worked on the artwork depicting different moments in Nelson's life.

The 12 panels include depictions of All Saints' Church, Burnham Thorpe, where Nelson's father was rector, Paston Grammar and Norwich School where he was educated, and the Parsonage, Burnham Thorpe, where he lived until he joined the Navy.

Another of the panels, produced

by hand stitching and sewing machine, shows Nelson's signature as he learned to write it with his

left arm after his right was

severed by a musket shot in 1797.

Ms Carpenter said: “A tremendous amount of work has gone into it. Some of the quilters have even been down to Portsmouth and London to carry out research to ensure details are correct.”

Sea Scouts from around the region will be in Beccles tomorrow for a parade to mark Trafalgar Day.

Between 150-200 cadets will be taking part in the event which starts at Sir John Leman High School at 1.30pm.

At 2.20pm, the parade will move off along Ringsfield Road to arrive at

St Michael's Parish Church for the service at 3pm. It will then reform and make its way back to the school, saluting the war memorial as it marches past.