A HELENSBURGH woman who spends much of her spare time knitting jumpers for Oxfam has finished off her 500th creation for the charity.

And Valerie Ashworth says she has no plans to put away her needles and wool after reaching the landmark figure.

Speaking after donating her most recent batch, Valerie told the Advertiser: “I went down to take the 500th one and they gave me a certificate. It says ‘thank you for making them happy and for supporting the work of Oxfam’.

“I have been knitting them for ages. I take them in to the shop 10 at a time. I forget when I started doing it, but it’s been a long time.”

“I have gotten so used to it I sit down and watch the TV and knit, so I think I will carry on with it.”

Valerie has been doing her bit for charity for a number of years and donated 260 kids' jumpers in 2016.

After knitting for 69 years, Valerie has no plans to give up her passion, despite having arthritis.

And after receiving her certificate from staff at the local Oxfam shop in Colquhoun Square, she went straight home to start on number 501.

“It keeps your fingers working. I’ve been knitting since I was eight years old,” she explained.

“We learned at school during the war, knitting baby vests, and I have been doing it ever since.

“I could knit two vests for everyone else’s half one.

“When my children were youngsters they didn’t have a bought sweater until they were in their teens and told me no one wore sweaters.”

Her creations are sent by Oxfam to children in poverty around the world – many of whom have few clothes of their own.

“I spend about £3 per sweater,” she said. “After doing 500 that’s a lot of money but it doesn’t matter at all.

“I just like to do something. I can’t just sit and watch the box I need to knit.”