A striking display of brightly coloured knitted banners transformed St Mary's Church this weekend, as members of the congregation created a spectacular "Tower of Many Colours" in support of a children's charity in Malawi.

The vibrant knitted strips were suspended from the church tower to the ground and draped from the south side of the historic building on Sunday, creating a colourful landmark that caught the attention of passers-by and worshippers alike.

Resembling giant scarves, the banners were knitted over the past year by volunteers from the church. After Sunday's display, they will be repurposed into blankets before being sent to the Philip Veale Children's Centre in Malawi.

The centre provides food, education and care for orphaned and vulnerable children, with support from St Mary's dating back to around 2012. Between 80 and 120 children are fed there, while 25 orphans currently live at the centre. Former pupils have gone on to university, with one graduate now teaching agriculture and another former resident currently studying at university in Malawi.

Organiser and charity volunteer Lois Veale, who coordinated the knitting project and the installation, said: "I really wanted to show off the work that has been done and it's a beautiful way of drawing attention to the work of the charity, Support Malawi, which helps young people in one of the world's poorest countries to learn new skills."

The fundraising effort continued beyond the church, with young siblings Diego and Ivy-Rose taking part in the youth race at the Hitchin Triathlon on Sunday morning.

The pair have already raised more than £600 for the charity through sponsorship.

Donations can still be made through Hitchin St Mary's Charitable Giving to help continue supporting the centre's work in Malawi.

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More photographs and information about the Tower of Many Colours can be found via St Mary's Church Hitchin⁠ and the church's social media channels.