She hadn't picked up a pair of knitting needles for more than 25 years but decided to rescue the little gem at Junction Mills, Whingate Junction, Leeds, when its owner retired.

The Wool Shop's loyal customers, who travel from across the north of England and include visiting ex-pats living in far-flung places, were overjoyed it had been saved at the last minute after more than 50 years of trading.

Sue, 51, said: "So many people come in and say, 'We're so pleased you're keeping open'.

"It's a genuine pleasure because people are coming in to buy something they want to buy, because it's a hobby - because they enjoy doing it."

The Cookridge woman added: "I don't think we will still be running it for another 50 years but think there's another 15 years in it for us."

She said: "It's a shop that everyone knows. People travel from Sheffield and Blackpool, there's a few customers with family in Canada and the US and when they come to visit they still come back to buy yarn and take it back with them."

Her youngest customer is just 14 and buys yarn to make Teddy bears while her oldest is 92 and sends her social worker to buy her wool so she can knit cardigans.

And knitting has recently become fashionable, with A-list celebrities clicking their needles on film sets. Famous fans are said to include Madonna, Kate Moss, McFly and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Their influence, added to the credit crunch, means the pastime is booming.

And before she knew it Sue had also fallen for the relaxing hobby, as had partner Jon Hughes who runs the business with her, and her 75-year-old mother Audrey, who also helps out in the shop.

Sue, who has run a textile company with Jon for the past 15 years, said: "I was a knitter 25 years ago and then I stopped. I didn't realise that knitting was still as big as it is, it really has opened my eyes."

Now she spends around an hour knitting and finds it very therapeutic.

She said: "Jon had never knitted before. He has knitted his own jumper and that's in the window. He heard that Russell Crowe knits and he thought if he can do it, he could do it."

She said a couple of men came in for yarn but she suspected many more were "closet knitters". They now plan to run knitting classes and "knit and natter" groups.

Sue said the shop was so well loved because of its ripe old age – at least 52 years old – and because there were very few like it left.

Sue wants to hear from anyone who knows when it first opened as a wool shop so they can include the date in their new sign. "If you have any information ring the shop on 0113 263 8383.

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