Donkey century for Dorothy!

A donkey-mad grandmother has knitted her 100th toy donkey in aid of The Donkey Sanctuary.

Dorothy Harrison, from Beacon Heath, Exeter, started knitting the toys after picking up a knitting pattern on a visit to The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth in 2011 and enjoyed knitting the donkeys so much she set herself the challenge of knitting 100.

She says: “I’m quite chuffed really to have done something for something worthwhile. I did the first one and after that I thought, I could do 100 easily.

“I’ve seen some others that other people have made but my granddaughter says that mine are the best. She saw someone with one on the Quay the other day and said it was mine. It's nice to think people are walking around with the things i've made."

Dorothy who has always loved donkeys and has ‘adopted’ one from The Donkey Sanctuary, says. “I’ll carry on knitting as long as my hands will allow it. I can’t just sit doing nothing. I’m pleased if people like them.”

The knitted donkeys, known as woolleys, are sent back to the charity where they are sold to raise money for donkey welfare projects in the UK and worldwide. They are incredibly popular as gifts!

Make your own woolleys with The Donkey Sanctuary’s knitting pattern which is available to download here.