PEOPLE are being urged to knit winter woolies for drinks bottles to raise money for an older person's charity.

Nimble-fingered knitters of all abilities are being asked to knit wooly hats to fit over the tops of Innocent Smoothie bottles to raise funds for Age Concern's Christmas appeal.

Sainsbury's, Kidderminster, is hosting the annual scheme with an in-store double knit blitz, on Tuesday, starting at 11am, with staff on hand to provide volunteer knitters with refreshments.

All the completed miniature hats, between 2ins and 3ins in diameter, will be collected and sent off to the smoothie company's distribution premises.

Workers will then attach the woolies to bottles which will then be delivered back to stores, nationwide, for sale from November 7, with a slice of the proceeds going to the elderly people's good cause.

The nationwide event raised £87,500 in total, in 2006, with 175,000 hats collected from across the UK.

Juliet Fox, Carpet Trades Way supermarket spokeswoman, said: "We want as many people down here as possible because the more hats we knit the more money is raised.

"We've got about 15 coming down already so I'm hoping for up to 30.

"That would be fantastic because Age Concern do a great job looking after our elderly."

All the wool used on the day is being donated by big-hearted owners of Woolwise, Kidderminster.

Tina Mantle, shop co-owner, is also taking regular knitting group members, who meet at her store three times a week, to Sainsbury's to take part in the bash.

She said: "My ladies here are knitting the hats anyway and we also do other charity work, like Teddy for Tragedies, which go all over the world.

"We want to promote knitting as well because it's coming back in fashion.

"My ladies will also be on hand to give tips and help to people who are interested in picking up the skill."