A TALENTED sewing enthusiast has raised more than £1,000 for charity through the sale of homemade face masks.

Debra Newlands has been creating the masks for more than six weeks after finding she did not like versions online.

Her creations have proven popular throughout Haddington, with people asked to buy one in exchange for a donation to Cancer Research UK.

After finding out about Community Trees, where volunteer sewers provide cloth face coverings to anyone who might need one, Debra, who lives on the town’s Acredales Walk, decided to create her own, with members of the public asked to make a donation to the charity.

She told the Courier: “When I started off, it was for friends and family.

“Then, I saw about the Community Tree and thought we could do one of those.

“I did the first one and it was brilliant.

“It has just gone on and on from there and I’m over the moon with the amount raised.”

A community tree was held on Davidson Terrace last month outside the home of her son Luke Newlands, his partner Ashley Voy and her daughter Summer Deans.

Debra, who works as a theatre nurse at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, said it proved incredibly popular, with the sale taking place the day before it became mandatory for people to wear the masks in shops.

She said: “It was really busy.

“We started up at 9.30am and had not got them out the car and people were coming up to buy one.

“Within hour and a half, the majority were gone.”

About 85 masks were sold on the day, with orders taken for about another 70.

Sales have continued to pour in, with about £1,300 raised for the cancer charity, which aims to reduce the number of deaths from cancer.

Anyone looking to buy a mask can get one from Animal Magic Pet Supplies, on Haddington’s Court Street, or Erica’s on the town’s High Street.