SOME of the most popular postbox toppers that have featured at the top of Shaftesbury’s iconic Gold Hill are set to be auctioned off to raise money for important causes.

Elizabeth Hazelwood, who retired to Shaftesbury 28 years ago, has been catching the eye of passersby as she has been decorating the postbox with crocheted masterpieces for the past two years.

Some of the impressive designs feature depictions of The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Japanese artist Hokusai, Winnie the Pooh, and the Hovis ‘boy on the bike,’ which featured in a famous advert that saw him pushing a basket of bread up Gold Hill.

The designs have received thousands of likes on post box topper Facebook pages and have been keenly observed by residents and visitors alike who look forward to the latest instalment.

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Now, these popular toppers are being auctioned off at Shaftesbury Town Hall on Saturday, March 29 from 10am to 4pm.

Money raised will support Friends of Westminster Hospital, breast cancer awareness charity BooBs and mental health charity, The Brave and Determined Company (BADCO).

Postbox toppers have become increasingly more popular over the years. The creative craze sees artists create crocheted or knitted decorations that sit on the top of the postbox.

Winnie the Pooh and Piglet visiting Eeyore with a gift of carrots

These are often inspired by current affairs or locally important people and events, and they bring a smile to their communities.

Elizabeth created her first post box topper using some leftover wool, but the topper went missing shortly after.

This didn’t deter the talented artist, however, as she set about making new toppers each month, much to the delight of Shaftesbury residents.

Elizabeth said: “Crocheting predominates in old age as it can be done in the super comfort of a recliner!”

For more information about the event and how the silent auction will be run, visit Shaftesbury Toppers on Facebook.