A KNITTED doll of an Olympic Games volunteer with one foot - inspired by a comedian born with a disability - has raised £1,700 for charity.
The impressive handcrafted doll of the Gamesmaker by Marion Watson – who was a volunteer at Dorney Lake - fetched £375 on auction site eBay after it appeared on Channel 4’s The Last Leg With Adam Hills.
Show presenter, Adam Hills, was born without a right foot which inspired the Stokenchurch resident to adapt her Olympic creations, including a Sir Steve Redgrave doll, and make a unique figurine for the Paralympics.
The family had been so excited by the furious bidding war on eBay - which reached £32,000 at one point - that they’ve struggled to sleep, but sadly the high-end bids turned out to be nothing but a hoax.
But the 54-year-old, while a little deflated, was still delighted with the total after raising an additional £1,100 from donations on Virgin Money Giving.
She said: “I’m thrilled because it is still a lot of money for charity but equally frustrated by the idiots who decided for whatever reason to place these bids and also at eBay for misinforming people about the final figure.”
After her impressive handy work appeared on the Paralympics review show, Mrs Watson and her son went to the Olympic Park to watch the Paralympics and then on to meet Australian funny man Hills.
Son Aidan said: “I’m a fan of Adam Hills so mum knitted one without a foot. I took a photo of it and tweeted it in to the show, and they showed it.
“Before the show it was going for £15 but after it was on the show and Adam explaining that we were selling it for charity.
“We got to meet everyone on the show and Jimmy Carr, who was a guest the other night, made a funny comment about it. It was fantastic.”
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