Peacehaven: Woman crochets King Charles for Telscombe Cliffs post box

Residents of Telscombe Cliffs were delighted when they spotted a knitted King Charles on top of the post box outside the village post office, as well as a crown topper on another post box in Rottingdean.

The clever creations are the work of Amanda MacMath, also known as Nanny Bears Crochet, who only began crocheting four years ago.

“I made a crown for the Queen's Jubilee and everyone went wild," she said.

The crocheted King Charles on top of the post box outside Telscombe Cliffs post office (Image: Amanda MacMath)

"And then of course she died. I loved the Queen.

“With King Charles, I thought I’ve got to do something for him as well and that was it.

“He’s sat there and everyone can see him.

“People say ‘you’re the Banksy of the crochet world because you sneak out at night’."

Amanda’s daughter Karmann often sees people jump out of their cars to pose with the mini king tribute.

“People love it,” said Amanda, who works for a removal company in Brighton.

“The owner of the post office said he’s getting so many more visitors to the shop because people are posing for pictures with him.

“The postman always stops me and says ‘you don’t realise how lovely it is to empty this post box’ and people look forward to the next one.

“I just want to put a smile on people’s faces.”

Amanda first started crocheting in 2019 when her nan showed her how to do a standard chain.

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Amanda with her daughter Karmann (Image: Amanda MacMath)

Her love for the craft grew and she watched Youtube tutorials and attended a crochet class at her local civic centre.

“My nan is 99 this year and she could crochet and because she has dementia I wanted her to teach me,” she said.

“And then I went on Youtube.

“There was a class once a week at the civic centre where I live and I thought oh it’s going to be full of grannies and it wasn’t, there were lots of young people.

“Then it was Covid and I ended up making 200 of the NHS bears and sold them and that money went to the NHS."

The 51-year-old set up Nanny Bears Crochet in 2021 when she started “yarn bombing”.

Amanda MacMath placing the crown topper for the coronation (Image: Amanda MacMath)

The name was inspired by her nine-year-old grandson Stanley.

“My grandson Stanley used to call me Nanny Bear and so I thought I’ve got to have a name because people see things and they want to know where it’s from,” she said.

Amanda wants to encourage more people to take up the craft.

“It’s not just old people who do it, it’s normal people who sit there with a gin and tonic and crochet.

“It’s so relaxing and great for mental health.

“Everyone can try it. Just don’t give up.”

Have you created a special tribute ahead of the coronation? We would love to see it.

Email pictures to news@theargus.co.uk.