Her colourful facemasks have been worn by hundreds of people including the bishops of Norwich, King's Lynn and Thetford.

And now Cawston's Lyn Fairchild, 74, has given £5,875 to her church thanks to donations made for the masks.

Mrs Fairchild, a retired hairdresser, said she had made 1,576 masks throughout the lockdowns. She said: "I cannot believe that I have made so many as I have enjoyed every minute of my time and I have met some lovely people, socially distancing of course.

"I have also been delighted to supply sets of liturgical coloured masks - red, green, white, black and purple - to the bishops of Norwich, Lynn and Thetford in addition to the dean of Norwich as well our archdeacon and the rectors in the Aylsham and District Team Ministry.

Dereham Times: Lyn Fairchild, church warden at Saint Agnes in Cawston and rector Andrew Whitehead.Lyn Fairchild, church warden at Saint Agnes in Cawston and rector Andrew Whitehead. (Image: Alan Fairchild)

"I would like to thank everyone who supported me - I could not have done it without you all."

Her masks have included many with themes, which have included New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, a tribute to the NHS, Easter and May Day. She said: "I'm now thinking of a summer theme".

Mrs Fairchild said she had made a further supply of masks for Norwich-based St Martins Housing Trust, and 150 for a north London food hub which her daughter works with.

Cawston group team vicar, Revd Andrew Whitehead, said the church community was grateful for the work Mrs Fairchild had done.

Revd Whitehead said: "All of the churches have really struggled in the past year. We rely on community fundraising, and without all the village fetes, coffee mornings and other events we usually have to raise money we have been running a real deficit.

"Lyn's efforts in making all these masks have made all the difference. She was very early to get the bit between her teeth, as it were, and find something that would not only occupy her during lockdown but also raise some funds for the church.

"In the context of the pandemic it has been fantastic. It has meant we were able to make headway against our target for last year and it has given us a head start for this year.

"And she tells me she has enjoyed every minute of it."