Talented Rob Knotts was shoehorned into his unusual Yuletide hobby . literally.
The former chair of Saddleworth parish council was serving with the RAF in Singapore more than 30 years ago he tried unsuccessfully to buy a shoehorn.
“So, I wondered if I could carve one,” said Rob who lives in Austerlands. “I found a piece of wood, borrowed a kitchen knife and with great satisfaction produced one.
“My early work covered small trinket dishes, then small animals and Welsh love spoons. In the 1980s I was stationed in Germany and exposed to wonderful wood carvings of Nativities, Weihnachtsmann (German Father Christmas) figures, folk figures and Christmas decorations.