KNITTERS from Canada have been busy creating pairs of socks for a First World War commemoration project in Fordingbridge.

Ann Burtt, who previously lived in Romsey before moving to North Gower in Ontario, presented the knitted offerings to Julian Hewitt and Philippa Duckworth at Fordingbridge Museum on Friday.

The socks were knitted by Ann and fellow members of the Knifty Knitters group - Kathryn Adams, Louise Druin Backs, Christine Bollinger, Alice Burke and Brenda Caiger. One of the knitters is in her 90s.

An appeal was launched by the museum in March to get as many people as possible to knit socks to a First World War design – based on the pattern by Lord Kitchener.

Ann heard about the museum's appeal through her sister Sandra Allison.

"Sandra was telling me about the proposed exhibition for the Fordingbridge Museum and I told her I would put the idea before our small knitting group in my village. The group thought it was an excellent idea and so a few of us began," said Ann.

She also enlisted one of her friends to help.

On playing a part in the project, Ann said: "It is great to be doing it and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it."

The socks will be put on display at the museum as part of commemorations to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Fordingbridge Museum says it has had a “marvellous” response to the appeal both local and further afield, including Germany and USA.

The museum is anticipating that it will have in the region of 30 pairs of knitted socks that will form part of the display.

In the First World War people in Fordingbridge did their bit for the troops by knitting woollen socks for soldiers.

Fordingbridge Museum manager Philippa Duckworth said: "This gift of socks establishes a bond between women who have knitted socks for us in this country and the Canadian knitters who have been working away in a small village near Ontario. They like us will be remembering the sacrifices made by both countries during the First World War, especially next year when the centenary of the end of the war will be commemorated."