HOMELESS puppies and kittens will be wrapped up warm thanks to a band of natty knitters.
Ladies from the Woodhatch Centre took up their needles and wool to make blankets for the animals at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, after becoming aware of their plight.
And the group had a surprise when they went to deliver their gifts – and came face-to-face with comedian Paul O'Grady.
The TV star, who made his name as drag queen alter ego Lily Savage, was at the famous rescue centre filming his For The Love Of Dogs show.
The programme goes behind the scenes at Battersea, where Mr O'Grady looks at heart-breaking and uplifting tales of the animals there.
His appearance at the home on March 20 was the icing on the cake for Anne Rawden and her band, who travelled from Woodhatch to Battersea to hand over their home-made blankets.
"Meeting Paul O'Grady was absolutely brilliant," Mrs Rawden said.
"I sort of stalked him around to get a photo. He was great. He even told me to bugger off in the end – as a joke."
The group took 130 blankets with them, which have been knitted in the last four months by customers at the hair salon Mrs Rawden runs in the Woodhatch Centre, Whitebeam Drive.
The Centre's team handed out patterns to regulars, and were blown away by how the project took off.
"We only just got all the blankets in the minibus," Mrs Rawden told the Mirror.
"I handed out a few patterns at first then people were ringing in and we sent patterns out to people who aren't regular customers of the salon."
While the ladies enjoyed their day at Battersea, Mrs Rawden admitted it was heartbreaking to see some of the homeless creatures.
She said: "You shouldn't make eye contact with them because it is like teasing them, but there was one really beautiful saluki looking around as if it was her turn to go. It was so sad."
The blankets are given to animals while they are at the centre and can then go with them to a foster home to help them settle in.
Volunteer manager Carly Whyborn said: "Fostering can be from a few nights to several months and it can transform a dog's behaviour.
"I'm sure the blankets will be very popular with foster carers and dogs."
