Preparations for this summer's Norwich Pride event in Norwich are already underway, with a little bit of help from a 75-year-old super knitter.

Margaret Stevenson, from Sprowston, has knitted over 100m of chain for Norwich Pride to help them decorate the Pride Picnic in Chapelfield Gardens on Saturday, July 28.

She has knitted more than 600 'rainbow rings' and sewn them together to form a chain that will be hung from trees and lampposts.

Margaret said: 'I take my knitting everywhere. I knit on the bus, in cafes, at the library. People always ask me what I'm knitting with such beautiful coloured wool and I tell them I'm knitting for Norwich Pride.'

Margaret first heard about Norwich Pride when her sons, Martyn and Richard, coached one of its organisers, Michelle Savage, in Table Tennis.

Michelle said: 'Margaret is a fantastic example of what Norwich Pride is about. We're a celebration from the LGBT community for everyone. You do not have to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans to get involved, you just need to support our mission to ensure that Norwich is a city where everyone can feel safe and proud to be themselves.

'Margaret's knitting will light up Chapelfield Gardens and make it a really special place to gather for the parade. We are incredibly grateful for all her efforts.'

With four months left until Norwich Pride, Margaret is confident she will hit the 200m mark before the big day and is scouring charity shops for second-hand wool.

She would love any donation of wool in the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, and would be pleased if others joined her in knitting chains.

She is a member of Norwich Pride's 'Sew Gay' group, who meet in the Millennium Library at The Forum on the last Saturday of every month, between midday and 2pm.

The group sew, knit, glue, stitch and do anything they can to create colourful bunting, banners, scarves and patchworks for Norwich Pride. This year's big project is to create the 'Pride Patchwork', a crafted quilt charting over 50 years of LGBT history.

If you would like to donate wool for Margaret's rainbow chain or help the group sew the Pride Patchwork, then email sewgaynorwich@gmail.com, go to www.sewgaynorwich.shutterfly.com or come to the next meeting at midday on Saturday, April 28, on the big table upstairs in the Millennium Library.

Have you got a story for Local Life? Contact editor David Freezer on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk