Did you notice the festive knitted angels which appeared in Starbeck this Christmas?

Well, it’s all down to an army of volunteers who are determined to spread festive cheer.

Knitters from St Andrew’s Church, Starbeck Methodist and the Mission Church have made the angels, which all have a Christmas message attached to them.

Residents have taken them home and put them on display.

The project, coordinated by Samantha Ainsworth from St Andrew’s Church, attracted a lot of interest.

The knitted angels appeared after dedicated volunteers took to the streets of Starbeck at 7.45am on December 18, making sure that the angels arrived before light, greeting children on their way to school.

Starbeck resident Angel Kidman said: “What a blessing the angels are to our community.

It was lovely to see all the children so excited and to hear lots of people saying they still have last year’s or that it has pride of place on their tree.”

The angels were also scattered at Wellspring House, Starbeck library, and at the churches taking part.

Knitting angels at Christmas time is an idea that’s gained national momentum, too, with more than 170 churches signing up to knit angels across the country, and an estimated 35,000 of them making their way onto our streets.

When the project happened in Starbeck last year, organiser Samantha Ainsworth said: “We are so pleased to be part of such an amazing idea; the churches in Starbeck came together to knit and prepare an astonishing amount of angels. We are excited to see how the community responds.”

And respond the community did - dozens of residents took to social media to share their photographs of the angels in their new homes.

This year, the response has been just as overwhelming - drumming up fresh interest from residents and visitors to Starbeck.

Many who took home angels last year have brought them out again to be included in their Christmas displays.