When a 2ft Nora Batty was among crafts on show in Barrow

They were perfect in every detail from wrinkly stockings to woolly flat caps - and each one was just a couple of feet high.

Alf, Nora and Compo were three of the exhibits at a charity crafts exhibition at Victoria Park Hotel in Barrow in October 1993.

They were the work of nimble-fingered Furness doll-maker Kathleen Greenwood. She had lovingly re-created the TV characters with perfect little clay faces and miniature clothes.

Next to them were chubby golden-haired baby dolls, dressed in lacy frocks, and delicate costume dolls with rosy painted lips and life-like eyes staring out of their china bisque faces.

More than 20 Furness crafts women and men came together to show their handiwork, which included quilts and embroidered pictures as well as the dolls.

The driving force behind the exhibition was Barrow needlework teacher Margaret Newsham. Mrs Newsham, who taught evening classes from her home, got the idea when her pupils wanted to find out what each other’s classes were getting up to.

Proceeds from the exhibition went to raise money for profoundly deaf children and for voice synthesizers to help children unable to speak.

By 2pm on the day more than 200 people had turned out to view the exhibits.

The standard of the needlework and crafts in display was extremely high.

Eileen Patefield, of Devon Street, Barrow, had only been embroidering for four years, but had already won many trophies and cups.

Eileen had created a quilt featuring Beatrix Potter characters and scenes, which had been cross-stitched on squares and then quilted totter to form an impressive bedspread.

It had already won best in show at a Sellafield exhibition.

It was not Mrs Patefield’s only exhibit at the show. There were also a prize-winning embroidered picture of a bridal couple, a table cloth and tapestries.

The two doll makers at the show were Kathleen Greenwood, with her dolls from coloured fimo and clay, and Christine Douglas, who made bisque, or china, dolls.