Big Knit: Charity knitters make UK's largest knitted hat

Needles have been put to the ultimate test as knitters gathered in Nottingham to make the UK's largest knitted hat.

The challenge took place at Albert Hall in the city to mark the 20th anniversary of the Big Knit - a collaboration between the drink company Innocent and the charity Age UK.

The hat was roughly 23ft (7m) tall and 20ft (6m) wide.

Once dismantled, the individual blankets were expected to be donated to charities, shelters and hospitals.

The Big Knit involves people knitting mini hats for the tops of Innocent smoothie bottles.

A total of 25p from each hatted bottle sold goes to Age UK to provide services and support to older people.

The huge bobble hat, made up of 545 knitted squares, was assembled on Monday.

Adam Rostom was one of the knitters and said it involved a huge amount of co-operation and participation from the volunteers.

"I was excited to see it come together.

"I think it took two million yards of yarn to make it - so a huge amount of yarn.

"The process of knitting is something that you can really focus in on and it is really beneficial for someone's mental health, and is sort of hypnotic.

"It really does bring a degree of calmness and a sense of satisfaction through making a hat," he said.

Since it launched in 2003, the Big Knit has seen more than 11 million tiny hats placed on smoothie bottles.

It has also raised more than £3m to support the elderly.

Maisy Voice, 20, said her grandmother Lorraine Burnette used to knit the bottle hats before she died.

Ms Voice has now taken up knitting herself.

She said: "Knitting these hats for the Big Knit campaign makes me feel wholesome, as I am carrying on something that my nan enjoyed doing quite a lot."

Innocent Drinks said it was "extremely proud" of its Big Knit campaign.

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