The new Hartlepool way of taking the stress out of your lives - and it's all down to a fantastically creative mum

Lynsey Goodall, 46, is the creative person who has made hundreds of worry worms out of wool before hiding them at locations all over town.

Then, if someone finds them, they can take them home and cherish them as they face up to stressful times in their lives.

Mum-of-six Lynsey took inspiration from a scheme in the United States.

She explained: “A lady in America had made them and they were helping people. It was putting a smile on people’s faces. I thought ‘if the Americans can do it, us Brits can’,

"I had quite a bit of wool and I made some with eyes. I thought they wouldn’t catch on but I made 20 and hid them for people to find.”

But the idea took off and Lynsey, who is a full-time carer, has now created about 300 of them.

She said: “I love doing it. I started hiding them around Hartlepool and people started messaging me. The phone has never stopped.

"I have had people asking me for orders but I am doing them because you never know when a child, an elderly person, or an adult needs something to comfort them.”

Lynsey added: “I make them for everyone and I get a great feeling from it. It makes me feel really happy to know I am helping people and the feedback I have had is amazing.”

Lynsey’s worry worms have become so popular that she has started leaving them in Sunderland and Stockton as well. They come with a card which tells the recipient that they are happy to help them.

Lynsey used to be a karate teacher and is now registered deaf which means she could not keep up her teaching role. She also used to do floristry.

But now, as well as being a carer, she likes to use her free time to help others by making the worry worms.

"It is something to do and my younger children like to help me,” she said.

The hiding places of worry worms have so far been near parks and schools in Hartlepool.

But watch out for more destinations coming soon.

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