AN army of dedicated stitchers is marking a milestone after creating more than 10,000 bags for frontline workers.

Bag the Bug was started by Horwich grandmother Donna Powell after she had to self-isolate for health reasons at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

But although she is not at work Donna and friend Anita Whittle are busier than ever after taking on the challenge of making fabric bags so that workers can change out of potentially contaminated uniforms and safely carry the clothing home to put in the washing machine.

At the beginning of last month Donna initially made just a few dozen bags for her radiographer daughter, Laura Peacock, to distribute to colleagues, but then the requests came in thick and fast, a Facebook group was set up to co-ordinate volunteers and now more than 60 local people spend their days cutting out donated fabric, stitching and delivering the finished drawstring bags to organisations throughout the North West and beyond, whose staff are delighted to receive them.

The demand continues to be so great that the Horwich Bag the Bug group has spawned other satellite sewing groups.

Donna works from 7.30am until midnight co-ordinating the efforts, can't quite believe so many bags have been created and has nothing but praise for the volunteers.

"I can't thank them enough. They are awesome," she said.