The fleece of Dolly, the world's first cloned sheep, is being used to raise funds for charity.

It will be used to make the winning design from a fund-raising jumper competition open to amateur and professional designers.

Dolly, cloned at the Roslin Institute in Scotland, was sheared for the first time in May, and the fleece was given to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

More sheep have been cloned

Technologists from the University of Leeds are weaving yarn from the fleece.

At the School of Textile Industries at the university, the fleece is undergoing a number of special cleaning and spinning processes to produce yarn.

Dr Steve Russell of the university, said: "Leeds was chosen because of our reputation as the country's leading textile school."

Textile technologist Barry Greenwood added: "We are very pleased to be given the opportunity to use our facilities and expertise to create yarn that will be used to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust."

The yarn will be used to make the world's first "cloned" woollen jumper.

After the winning jumper is knitted, it will be featured on BBC television before being put on permanent display at the Science Museum in London in February next year.
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