THIS WEEK IN 1998: Stitch in time wins the royal thumbs up

Mrs Hetherington, from Gosport, had been battling with multiple sclerosis for 16 years and found the best therapy for her painful condition in the art of cross-stitching.

She said: ‘I love what I do, and as I multiple sclerosis I find sewing helpful because it helps me relax.

Also at a reception at the Victoria and Albert Museum were some of the 460 men and women who successfully submitted decorations for the royal tree in a competition launched by a needlework magazine.

The tree was inspected by the royal family in the palace, and they were reported to be highly impressed by the standard of work on display.