Seamstress makes crocheted armed forces figures to thank them for their service

Bev Mayhew, who lives in Harleston – a village near Stowmarket, Suffolk – has spent between two to three weeks making a postbox topper which represents the three forces, the Royal Air Force (RAF), The British Army and the Royal Navy, through three crocheted figures and a crocheted Air Force aircraft.

“I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like and would spend about two to three hours every evening over around two to three weeks making it,” the 57-year-old told the PA news agency, on Armed Forces Day.

“They’re quite intricate little men – they’re quite fiddly and have lots of little bits and the base of the topper took about a week to do.”

Mrs Mayhew’s husband Steve has a link to the forces as he was in the RAF for 12 years.

“There was a connection there and I wanted to do this to highlight the importance of remembering (members of the armed forces) and thank them for what they’ve done and what they are doing,” she said.

“They should never be forgotten and I wanted to encourage people to support them.”

Mrs Mayhew said the most enjoyable part of the process was seeing the topper on the postbox.

“You stand back and think: ‘I made that’, and it gives you quite a buzz,” she said.

“And just the process of getting it all together and planning and thinking: ‘Oh, I can add this’ – I enjoy lots of different things about it.”

The seamstress is not the only one who is a fan of postbox toppers, with many leaving “great” comments about Mrs Mayhew’s crocheted creations, which include a spring scene which features bumble bees, flowers and butterflies.

“People love them and I’m in a postbox toppers Facebook group (UK Post Box Toppers and More Group) and just getting likes on that is great, and I love seeing others and getting ideas,” she said.

“Sometimes you’re just blown away by some of them and go: ‘Wow.’

“You really appreciate the hours that go into making them when you actually make them yourself.”

For postbox topper enthusiasts, Mrs Mayhew’s advice would be: “Just go be creative.

“You don’t have to stick to any rules, just make it yours, that’s the big thing – and add your own personal touch to it.”