Prescribing knitting could save the NHS millions of pounds, a new report suggests, because it lowers blood pressure, reduces depression and slows the onset of dementia.

The organisation Knit for Peace carried out a widespread literature review looking at the health benefits of the traditional craft after receiving testimonials from their 15,000 volunteers about how the hobby had improved their lives.

They discovered that knitting is as relaxing as yoga, distracts from chronic pain, such as arthritis, boosts wellbeing, brings down blood pressure and keeps the mind sharp.

It also reduces loneliness and isolation and allows older people to feel as if they are still useful to society.

In Britain, the NHS spends more than £2 billion each year on blood pressure treatments, and around £300 million on antidepressants. Dementia costs the country £26 billion while the health service spends billions annually tackling chronic pain.

So prescribing knitting could be a cheap way to battle a host of age-related conditions, the report concludes.

“Research has shown there is a growing crisis in primary care and with GP services in particular. Now is the time to adopt more imaginative and innovative approaches,” the authors write.

“As a skilled and creative occupation, knitting has a therapeutic potential. There is an enormous amount of research showing that knitting has physical and mental health benefits.”