Sisters who spread joy with stories about the Royal Family using crafted figures say it is with sadness they bid goodbye to their main character.

For the past two years, Judy Balchin and Roz Dace, who run website Woolly Felters, have shared yarns on their business’s social media pages about the Queen and her corgis using likenesses they have created.

Mrs Balchin said: “They were just simple, gentle little tales about Her Majesty and her friends, but they have proved amazingly popular.”

Now, however, the sisters from Maidstone are having to rethink following the death of Elizabeth II.

Mrs Balchin said: “Obviously it would not be appropriate to continue with the Queen.

"We are busy creating a King Charles character and hope to post new stories about him after the Queen’s funeral.”

The sisters have been running Woolly Felters for eight years, hosting workshops and selling books about the hobby.

Mrs Balchin said: “Along the way we have found a wonderful ever growing band of enthusiastic crafters who follow us and enjoy our adventures.

"We do workshops, write books, sell kits and tutorials and do talks at many societies to spread the news of our wonderful craft."

The stories have included seasonal tales of the Queen at Christmas and Easter, ones of her during Covid and during her Platinum Jubilee.

All the characters are hand-crafted by the sisters, who have also made models of themselves.