Figen Murray, from Stockport, took her knitted wares to a weekend Christmas market a fortnight ago, but as the day unfolded she struggled to sell a single item from her table of homemade creations.

But before you tell us ‘ah well, that’s the curse of 2016 for you’, hold on. Because there’s a brilliantly heartwarming twist to this story, and it’s all thanks to kind Twitter folk.

After Murray’s son sent her a text message to find out how she was getting on (not so well), he took to Twitter to share his heartbreak over her response.

Martyn Hett, who works in PR and gloriously once won Couples Come Dine With Me with his boyfriend Russell, wrote: “My mum has set up her own stall at a craft fair and has messaged me to say she hasn't sold anything yet and my heart is breaking.”

Cue the kindness of strangers.

Son shares mum's struggle to sell crafts: and Twitter comes to the rescue