Yarn-bombers join M&S and Aldi Colin the Caterpillar cake row

Yarn-bombers have joined in the row between supermarkets over their novelty caterpillar cakes - by knitting their own versions.

Last month, Marks & Spencer launched legal action against Aldi, arguing its Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake infringed a Colin the Caterpillar trademark.

Kathleen Shannon and Jackie Monk knitted the post-box toppers, which can be seen in Great Dunmow, Essex.

The friends said the caterpillars were requested by a resident.

Ms Shannon said: "Someone on a local Facebook group had seen a knitted Cuthbert and said we needed one for our town, as ours are much better."

The pair have previously knitted Christmas and Easter displays for post-boxes in the town.

They decided to keep the two caterpillars a reasonable distance apart, with Cuthbert on a post-box in the town centre and Colin on the outskirts.

It took them less than a day to create each display.

The cake row erupted when Marks & Spencer lodged an intellectual property claim with the High Court.

M&S claimed that their similarity led to confusion among consumers and that the Aldi cake "rides on the coat-tails" of M&S's reputation.

"We gave Colin - the M&S cake - a judge's wig and a gavel, as a nod to the court case," Ms Shannon said.

"I just think the whole argument is hilarious.

"I mean, it's cake - they're arguing over a cake.

"But I do think the country needed a little light relief at the moment, and this little row seems to be doing the trick."

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