Milton Keynes' mystery 'Knitting Nana' gets busy with delightful tributes for the coronation

A mystery knitter who has been delighting residents with hand-knitted gifts is spreading the joy about the King and Queen’s coronation.

For the past couple of years, little knitted toys and charms have been appearing all over the Newport Pagnell area, complete with a note signed by 'Knitting Nana'.

The creator, who wishes to be kept strictly anonymous, then applied her talent to postboxes, knitting intricate themed covers, complete with mini figures, to mark occasions such as Christmas and Easter.

This month she switched her theme to the coronation and has delivered royal toppers to a string of post boxes.

One creation featuring the royal couple can be seen in Lakes Lane in Newport Pagnell, while another featuring two royal elephants, complete with crowns and coronation mantle, can be seen in Aldrich Drive in Willen Village.

Another, in Willen Park, is a large crown festooned with flowers.

"They are absolutely wonderful and never fail to make people smile,” said one fan. “Knitting Nana spreads so much joy – she’s a legend.

"Nobody ever sees her though. She must sneak out in the dead of night to fit the postbox toppers.”

Knitting Nana is also rumoured to have sent a knitted wreath to King Charles. A sample of her work is to be displayed at the AgeUK shop in Newport Pagnell.

She’s never wavered from her anonymity and has only spoken out once – in an interview with ITV News where her face was disguised.

She told the interviewer she started leaving presents around the town over Christmas 2020, during the Covid pandemic.

"I thought it would just be nice to knit a few things over Christmas to cheer people up, Christmas tree decorations, and it seemed to work.

"After Christmas I just thought I've got to carry on because people liked it so much... it seems to cheer people up."

Knitting Nana added: "I can't see my grandchildren, they live a long way away, and when I see the children (pick up the knitted presents), they don't know I've seen them. But last weekend I saw a little girl find one – and the look of joy on her face when she found it brought a tear to my eye."