Barbara on hand to kit out SuBo (From Cotswold Journal)

Broadway seamstress saves the day for Susan Boyle

6:40pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

IT’S usually showbiz stars that movie-makers are keen to court, but when film crews arrived in Broadway a local seamstress became the hottest ticket in town.

Barbara Jones has told of how a normal morning took an unexpected turn when she was tracked down by a film crew and asked to knit “half a red mitten” for singing superstar Susan Boyle.

The cameras rolled in with cast in tow to shoot scenes for Ms Boyle’s first movie, a period drama called The Christmas Cracker, which also stars John Hannah and Sylvester McCoy.

When it came to shooting a scene requiring the Britain’s Got Talent star to be knitting the half-finished mitten, crew members made a dash into town to find someone to help out.

Mrs Jones, who provides a seamstress service to several shop, was the only name on anyone’s lips and eventually production staff caught up with her and gave her the unusual request.

“The man produced a ball of red wool out of his pocket and asked if I could knit half a red mitten,” she said.

“He said it had to be done with metal needles because it was a period film and that he needed it finished by 1pm.

“He asked me how much and I said that I normally worked for about £6 an hour, so £12, but he put £30 into my hand,” said Mrs Jones.

“I want to see the film when it comes out so that I can see Susan Boyle pretending to knit my half a mitten.”