Team GB star hails 'fantastic' Olympic-themed knitting

As the world's athletes compete in France, a rather different sporting contest has appeared on a lawn in Surrey and it has the backing of Great Britain's most successful trampolinist.

A group of nine neighbours in Oxted, who have a combined age of over 600, have recreated the Paris 2024 Olympics in wool - athletes and all.

Their masterpiece will be on display until the closing ceremony on 11 August, when it will be auctioned in aid of the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex.

Bryony Page, a Team GB athlete and two-time Olympic trampoline medallist, said: “This is just fantastic - I absolutely love it!"

Knitting since December, the crafty collective have created several sporting scenes, such as long jumps, cycling and skateboarding.

Their woollen-homage includes synchronised swimmers with pegs as nose clips to gymnasts, boxers and a Paralympian.

Realising that some Olympians were going to be "hard" to recreate, knitter Janet Brown said the group decided to knit "jelly babies".

"Then it just grew with new ideas," she added.

The group added Ms Page and a trampoline to their collection after hearing she was a fan of their work.

The trampoline world champion said: "Thank you to everyone for making the effort and for your incredible support.”

You can listen to the full report on BBC Sounds.

Watch the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on BBC iPlayer, hear more on BBC Sounds and follow all the latest Paris 2024 news on the BBC Sport website.

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