Nimble-fingered knitters are urged to get creative for Age UK and innocent’s Big Knit challenge.

Now in its 13th year, budding knitters are being challenged to reach a whopping target of two million miniature woolly hats.

The colourful creations will be popped on innocent smoothie bottles, and for each one sold, the firm will donate 25p to help Age UK fund national and local projects that keep older people warm and well in winter.

Mary Bradley, chief officer of Age UK West Cumbria said: “We are calling on local knitters to get as many hats as possible to us as our target has doubled from last year to 18,000. We need half of the hats by December 31.

“As the smoothie bottles don’t go on sale until October 2017 there’s even more time for knitters to keep sending hats in throughout the summer to help Age UK reach the second closing date in July.”

There are over 28 per cent excess deaths every winter in Cumbria. In over 85s this figure rises to almost one-in-three excess winter deaths. Every hat donated to Age UK West Cumbria will help fund local services like the winter warmth campaign.

Last year, more than 800,000 hats were created, with designs including the Wombles and Mr Men, cupcakes, colouring pencils, lots of animals and the traditional bobble hat.

Sim Viney, innocent drinks, said: "We have had such great support for the Big Knit over the years, we are positive knitters across the country will take the challenge to make this year’s event the biggest ever. Even if you’ve never knitted a stich, creating a little hat is a great way to start and won’t take long. We’re massively grateful to everyone who joins in and helps make this year’s campaign a huge success."

To download the pattern, visit: www.ageuk.org.uk/bigknit or go to one of the centres to pick up a leaflet.

Completed hats can be sent to Age UK West Cumbria centres: Old Customs House, West Strand, Whitehaven; De Lucy Centre, Market Place, Egremont; The Bradbury Centre, St George’s Road, Millom; Cockermouth resource centre, Main Street, Cockermouth; Wigton resource centre, Wigton Community Hospital, Cross Lane, Wigton; Age UK office/ health and well being Hub, Keswick cottage hospital, Maryport resource centre, Senhouse Street, Maryport.