WHEN is the world’s biggest cardigan not a cardigan? When it’s a jumper!

Jean Westbrook, of Great King Street, Macclesfield, thought she had produced the largest-ever buttoned knitwear earlier this year, only to be told it was classed as a sweater – and in that category was not actually a record breaker.

Her 6ft woolly mammoth, which required 60 balls of wool and fits six people, was left lagging behind a giant jersey boasting a 28ft chest – made by a factory of workers in China.

Now, the mother-of-four is so determined to become a record breaker that she wants to enlist the nimble needlework of other Maxonians – to create a cardigan measuring 35ft across.

Jean, in her second year of an arts degree at Macclesfield College, said: "They said they do not have a separate cardigan category, but I am going to make sure it is recorded as a cardigan!

"I won’t be knitting it – it is for everyone to do. I want it to be much bigger than the one in China, just in case they try to knit another in the meantime.

"They did it in a knitting factory and used machines. Ours will be all by hand and anyone who doesn’t want to knit can sponsor people."

Jean’s original cardy had its moment of fame this summer when she wore it atop artist Anthony Gormley’s plinth in Trafalgar Square while singing David Bowie’s hit Jean Genie.

"It was at night so there weren’t too many people around, but it was great fun," she said.

Jean, who has fostered children for 22 years and is an activities co-ordinator at East Cheshire Hospice, needs knitters to create 1,150 separate 30cm squares, which she plans to then sew together next summer.

Anyone interested is asked to knit or crochet the squares with a surrounding ‘rib’, big buttons and two pockets.

To get involved, call Jean on 07717 536817, or email nothing-quite-like-it@live.co.uk.

Alternatively, drop it off at Macclesfield College marked "thebiggestcardigan.com".