Brenda Bond's family and friends have learned to look after their locks or risk losing them when she's on the hunt for spare hair.

She's used their tresses to top off her astonishing collection of more than 400 hand-made dolls.

The impressive collection drew the crowds when it went on display at Resting Seat House old people's home in Bocking at the weekend.

Brenda's aunt, Olive Trundele, a resident at the Church Lane home, said: "If you have got a bit of hair she wants for one of her dolls she'll have it off you."

Brenda, who lives in Chelmsford, made her first doll - Henry VIII - 25 years ago and hasn't looked back.

She faithfully recreated the 100 kings and queens of England from pre-Roman times right up to the present day down to the smallest detail. She used broken jewellery to achieve an authentic period look.

Brenda's fascination with costume has seen the collection grow to include a history of British dress through the ages as well as international costumes from as far afield as Thailand, New Zealand and the Americas.

There is even a Winston Churchill doll, complete with cigar.

Each head is modelled in clay before the body, modelled with wire and newspaper, is added.

Brenda then painstakingly hand-stitches the clothes in miniature using illustrations in books to be as accurate at possible.

"It takes a couple of weeks to do one model," said Brenda. "It started as a hobby because I love costumes and model-making."

Her favourite is still Henry VIII who comes complete with his six wives - heads firmly intact.

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