Woman crochets a new sign for Central Road in Leiston

A keen crafter has crocheted her own road sign to replace one which went missing years ago.

Doris Long-Kubas, 67, said the sign for Central Road, where she lives in Leiston, Suffolk, disappeared after a car knocked it off its post.

She said the sign has not been replaced for about four years, so she decided to spend two days creating her own design in wool.

"All the neighbours think it's amazing," said Ms Long-Kubas.

"It looks so pretty and it was a really enjoyable thing to do."

She said the damage to the sign had been clear for people to see.

"There were just two concrete posts left standing - they always stuck out a bit like a sore thumb.

"I always do a lot of knitting and crocheting anyway, so I thought I should probably make a sign."

As a member of local knitting groups, Ms Long-Kubas has made postbox toppers for yarn-bombing projects, where crocheting and knitting are used to produce pieces of art in public places.

She has also distributed small crocheted gifts for people to find.

The retired teacher and gig organiser said although most drivers now have sat-nav, she felt the road still needed its own sign for visitors.

She created her own design, involving some maths so it was to the correct scale, and resembling the original black and white design.

However, she said she couldn't resist adding some colourful flowers as a flourish to her handiwork, unveiled last week.

Ms Long-Kubas, who learned to crochet at school in her native Berlin in Germany, said she had lived in the road for 15 years and was pleased its name had been reinstated in some way.

"It looks like a proper road sign," she said.

"It has cheered people up and makes me happy."

East Suffolk Council, which is responsible for the sign, said: "We're grateful to Doris for bringing this missing sign to our attention.

"Her creativity not only raised a smile, but also our awareness that the sign has been missing for some time, and we will now be working to provide a replacement in due course. If Doris' sign is still in place at that time, we'll deliver it to the Town Hall for her to collect, should she wish.

"Damaged or missing street name signs can be reported at my.eastsuffolk.gov.uk."

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