YARN bombers have taken on their tallest order yet, knitting up an 18ft Christmas tree which has become a star attraction for their town.

Thirsk’s Yarn Bombers have become famous nationally for their astonishing creations. Town Mayor Councillor David Duffey said the latest one is a real triumph. "It’s another fantastic piece of work by the Yarn Bombers they have done an absolutely fantastic piece of work which is a credit to the town."

The bombers say it's something they’ve been thinking about for several years and finally decided 2019 was the year to tackle it. Chair of the Thirsk Yarn Bombers group Diane Archibald said it has taken them many months with lots of people knitting the squares needed to create the final tree.

"I must say it is very impressive now that it is up. It is around 18 feet high and weighs a ton, the frame was created and installed by local metalworker David Forth, and over 450 squares were knitted. But we didn’t know until we came to build it whether it would work, and how it would go around the frame.

"It was a bit of a struggle but we got there eventually and it now has pride of place on one of the main routes into the town, and we do think it looks magnificent and sets off our lovely town for Christmas.

"We have everything about Christmas on there, snowmen, crackers, trees, presents everything we could think of has been incorporated into this design . As a group we wanted to do something special, that was really eye catching and that would bring a smile to people's faces for the festive season and this seemed to be the best idea we could have come up with."

The bombers have also created a trail of elves across the town leading people, and especially children, to the spectacular tree which is on display in the courtyard outside the home of John Bell at Thirsk Hall, next to St Mary’s Church.