A former care worker has turned what once was a hobby into a business by opening her very own wool shop in Darlington, years after she began knitting and crocheting during lockdown.
Mandy Bond, 55,, has opened her shop named Mandy Bond Wool and Yarn in town a few years after she began selling wool online.
After giving up her career as a carer in April, she acquired a unit in Darlington which was initially set to be used as storage, but quickly turned into a shop.
Mandy said: "I worked through lockdown - I was a carer. I was making hats and headbands using wool I would get in from suppliers.
"But, then everyone started selling the headbands and I was left with all of this wool that I started selling on eBay. I did that for a few years and kept working as it was still a hobby.
"This year, I decided to give up my job in April and it's really taken off from there!"
Pictures of the unit show a wide variety of wool of all colours of the rainbow up for sale.
So far, business has been booming at the unit, which is open five days a week. Mandy is joined by her husband Keith, 63, who helps her out.
Mandy added: "We have quite a few followers on Facebook and people have been coming from all over. We've had them from Hartlepool, Brotton, Marske - and they have all been coming for days out.
"I have wanted to get out of care for a while and I thought if I didn't take the plunge now, I never will."
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