A CARE home resident who once sold a crocheted blanket on eBay for £92 is now using her skills to raise cash for blind people in Dorset.

Joan Murton, 87, who lives at the Brook View home in West Moors, has been crocheting blankets for charity since 1976, when she retired as manager of a day centre for adults with special needs.

One blanket she made raised £92 for the Macmillan Trust when it was sold on eBay by her daughter Barbara, who lives in Ringwood.

Now they are hoping to raise similarly fantastic amounts for the Dorset Blind Association.

Born in Lewisham, London, Joan had seven brothers and was taught to knit by an older sister.

The hobby stayed with her. She typically takes around a week to make a blanket, stitching together 135 knitted squares of coloured wool that are then edged with a four-inch border.

Joan said: “I just keep on knitting and I love making blankets. It’s therapeutic and a fulfilling job.

“I always start by picking out the five colours I want and then crocheting the squares, nine along and 15 down. If anyone wants to send me any spare balls of wool they have, I will certainly try to use them.”

The Colten Care home has been fundraising for the Dorset Blind Association this year and residents have raised nearly £800 already.

Activities organiser Monique Brady said: “The residents chose the association as their nominated charity and we have held coffee mornings, barbecues and other events to raise money this year. Having Joan on board, happy to make blankets for sale, means we can do even more.”