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Police shocked a gran when they confronted her over a 'potentially racially offensive object' in her window.

Anne Feast, 70, was settled in front of the TV when two officers knocked at the door following a complaint about the 'black body' hanging at the front of her bungalow.

The item was a black knitted baby gorilla named Cilla which she had made last year.

Anne explained knitting was her main hobby, she had two suitcases full of her creations and regularly changed her window display to entertain passersby.

She said: "They never introduced themselves as PCSOs.

(Image: SWNS)

"As soon as I opened the door, the woman just said 'we have had a complaint about the black body hanging in your window.'

"I told them to look closer and they would see it was a baby black gorilla. She looked at it and said that it was.

"She told me that they had received a complaint from someone who found it offensive."

Anne said she found a knitting pattern for a 'Cilla the gorilla' last year and on the day in question she was hanging by her legs in her front window in Ely, Cambs.

The retired customer service advisor and mother-of-two added: "It's absolutely ridiculous. It is not racist at all.

"Gorillas are black - I couldn't make a white one.

"It is just a knitted toy. It didn't mean anything.

(Image: SWNS)

"I've never had the police round before. It is so silly."

Anne, who has sold some of her knitted toys at local fetes, said: "Whatever I make I stick in the window. My grandchildren liked coming to see them when they were small."

Anne and husband Philip, 71, were left baffled by the visit and put a poster in their front window appealing to the mystery 'complainer' to come forward.

It said: "Are you the person/persons that made a complaint to police about the knitted toy?

"Well why don't you knock on our door and tell us face to face what your concerns were about this toy?

"These toys usually bring a smile to most people's faces - especially kiddies. I am so am looking forward to seeing you face, but it's not going to happen is it?? [sic]."

Cambridge police said the gorilla was simply spotted by the two PCSOs who decided to check it out.

A spokesman said: "The police did not receive any calls from members of the public about this.

"Instead, while out on patrol on September 17, two PCSOs saw an object hanging from a window which they thought may be seen as a 'potentially racially offensive object.'

"The officers were unsure as to what the object was so knocked on the door of the home and asked the woman what it was.

"She told officers it was a gorilla she had knitted which she displays in her front window.

"After establishing that the object was in fact a hand-made knitted gorilla and nothing offensive the officers left and carried on their patrols.

"At no point was the woman asked to remove the gorilla from her window."