A NAILSWORTH man who first learnt how to make harps from a paper template has now made 22, and is setting up a business carving the instruments to hire.

While Creag Louttit-Vermaat , 29, makes the harps his wife and business partner, Morwenna, 28, teaches people how to play them.

Morwenna, who has been playing the instrument since she was 12, has made a year’s worth of video tutorials for beginners.

The lessons show close ups of her hands so that students can follow her movements rather than having to learn to read music.

People who sign up to the course get a harp in the post and a video each week with a tune to learn for £40 a month.

Creag, who can make a harp in a week, said: “The traditional way of music being passed down is through show and copy and that’s what we’re trying to do with our videos.

“People think of harps as being really fragile but that’s nonsense. We’re trying to get people to not think of harps as made of china.

“My wife’s harp that I made her survived 16 budget flights without a proper case. It was just wrapped in bubble wrap, cardboard and a sleeping bag.”

Creag is working out of Nailsworth community workshop. See handsonharps.com for details.