Crochet characters created for World Book Day in East Midlands

Crocheters in the East Midlands have paid homage to World Book Day by recreating characters who have brought joy to readers.

Book characters including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Paddington Bear have been brought to life in yarn form.

Postbox toppers have been installed in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to mark the annual celebration.

This year, World Book Day, which aims to encourage more children to read, takes place on 7 March.

Debbie Williamson has topped a postbox in Forest Town, near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, with her crocheted version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the food he eats - fit with a cherry pie, sausage and watermelon slice.

"It's the book I used to read to my own children and they're now 35 and 33, so we've all kind of grown up with it," said the 57-year-old.

"It took me an eternity to sew it all together."

The topper has been placed between two primary schools and children passing by it have expressed their "excitement" when they see it.

Meanwhile, Paddington Bear - wearing his signature blue jacket and red hat, and sitting on top of a pile of crocheted books with "World Book Day" on them - adorns a postbox in Ticknall, South Derbyshire.

Margaret Upton, 71, from Swadlincote, spent hours making the creation.

She told PA Media: "I was spurred on to make the topper because World Book Day was coming up.

"My daughter's very good at finding patterns for me and she found one for Paddington Bear, and then I made the books he sits on - which are then crocheted round."

Mrs Upton posted about the topper in a Facebook group and said it had been "nice" to read the "fabulous" comments from people about it.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.