MORE than 500 fish have been hand made ready for this year’s Harwich Festival.

Crafters of all ages have spent months putting together the fabric fish, which will be tied to the lampposts on the Ha’Penny Pier.

Monique De Vlieger, who came up with the idea, said: “I was really looking for a project to appeal to as many people as possible. You just have to make one fish, so it’s not too daunting for people. That didn’t stop some people making 20 or 30.

“Some are very simple and some are very elaborate. “The theme is heritage of the sea and nothing is more that than fish.”

So far 560 fish have been made for the festival, which starts on Thursday.

They will be displayed in shoals of 50 on the lampposts, thanks to the Harwich Haven Authority, and are planned to stay up all summer.

Monique added: “The local Brownie group has made some and a gentleman in his eighties made several - all sorts of people have.”