MADCAP Anne Russell has clocked up 1,500 hours on her knitting needles crocheting hundreds of woolly hats for needy children.

The 60-year-old plans to take the chill out of Christmas by stuffing shoeboxes with her woolly haul, which will be sent to Eastern Europe by the charity Samaritan's Purse.

Miss Russell has devoted a year to crocheting more than 1,400 hats at her home in Stonebow Road, Drakes Broughton.

She lent her support to the charity two years ago, after a customer at The Spinning Wheel, her craft shop in Pershore, suggested it.

"They're always looking for things like these to fill the shoeboxes," said Miss Russell.

The boxes are filled at a warehouse at St Richard's Road, Evesham, and sent to children in eastern Europe.

Last year, Miss Russell asked people to donate spare wool and was able to crochet 1,100 hats for the Christmas collection.

"The hats fit all sizes and are very warm and comfortable," she said.

"They were very gratefully received, so I carried on making them this year."

Miss Russell had no plans to crochet quite so many.

"I had more time on my hands this year so I just sat down and made the hats," she said.

"I would crochet them in front of the TV. It gives me something to do. There's so much rubbish on the box these days."

Miss Russell said each hat took an hour to crochet.

"It is a simple pattern and I can use any type of wool. Some are one colour others are up to 40 colours," she said.

Her hats will help fill more than 80,000 boxes containing scarves, gloves and other warm clothing, which will be sent to 18 countries throughout the world.

But Miss Russell's quest has not finished. She plans to start work soon on next year's collection.

"As long as I have the wool and the fingers I'll just keep on going," she said.

"No one's told my I'm mad to my face, but they probably think so."

Anyone who can donate wool to Miss Russell's hat-making marathon should call 01905 840831.