STUDENTS aim to break world record

John, aged 21, who’s studying chemistry, biology and psychology, doesn’t care that so far there are only two other male students who’ve signed up for next week’s crack at the Guinness Book Of Records in aid of Comic Relief.

He admits: “Some of us are still learning how to cast-on, but I’m sure we’ll all have got the hang of by March 17.”

That’s when fellow students Jess Gillett, Alice Cullenn and Nicole Malatesta hope at least 1,000 other women, men and children will turn up at Coventry Cathedral at 5.45pm taking along either their own knitting - or just a pair of needles and a bit of wool.

Jess, who lives in Wellesbourne said: “We want to help beat the current record, set in Oregon in the USA, when 937 people gathered together to knit for 15 minutes.

The seventeen-year-old has already designed a poster for the event along the lines of Lord Kitchener’s wartime “Your Country Needs You” appeal.

Jess added: “We’re told there’s a lady aged 101 who has already signed up for this so we wanted to do our bit from the college. All people need is needles, wool and £5 in sponsorship and then we just might end up beaking the world record as well as raising lots of money for charity.”

For more information visit [email protected] or phone organisers on 07834 480664.

Alternatively, to make a donation to the knitathon funds in aid of Comic Relief, logon to www.justgiving.com/cov-knitathon.