Yorkshire Grannies Knit Baby Rhino A Blanket To Help Him Recover From Hyena Attack

A group of grannies from Saltburn-on-Sea has helped a baby rhino recover from a hyena attack by knitting him a woolly blanket.

The orphaned three-week-old calf, Hercules, suffered multiple fractures, crush injuries, and several infected wounds following the vicious attack in South Africa.

However, he is now recovering - and safe and warm - thanks to the North Yorkshire care home knitting group called The Knitting Nannas.

After being knitted by the group, from Hazelgrove Court Care Home, the blanket was flown more than 5,000 miles from North Yorkshire to the Barberton Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga.

The young rhino is now on his way to full health at the Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary in the greater Barberton Nature Reserve.

Joyce Wooffindin, 83, who is one of The Knitting Nannas, said: "I feel extremely proud that I have been part of this project and to see Hercules wearing one of our blankets brought a tear to my eye."

Fellow resident Betty Wood, 100, was born and raised in Durban, South Africa, before moving to England with her late husband, Ron, after the end of the Second World War in 1945.

She said: "I feel by taking part in this project I have done something for my home country and Hercules is so cute."

Sheila O'Neill, 83, another member, said it "made my day" to see the "cute little fellow" in a blanket she had helped knit.

The group's members have been producing the blankets for several months for the charity Blankets For Baby Rhinos - but it is Hercules who has captured their hearts.