A schoolgirl from Bury St Edmunds has used her time in lockdown to create 1,000 stunning origami paper cranes.

East Anglian Daily Times: Umeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BONDUmeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Umeno Newland, 12, from Coney Weston has spent a month creating a colourful array of paper cranes during her time away from school.

All of the cranes are made out of coloured paper and were created through the paper folding craft of origami.

Each crane was folded by hand by the youngster, with each bird taking around a minute and a half to make.

Umeno, has experience making origami but said the pattern was still challenging.

East Anglian Daily Times: Umeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BONDUmeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: Charlotte Bond)

“It’s not the hardest but it’s not the easiest,” said Umeno.

The cranes were created as part of a challenge set to all pupils in Umeno’s school house at Horringer Court Middle School in Bury St Edmunds.

Students were asked to come up with a piece of work based on the theme of ambition in whatever medium they felt most appropriate.

After sitting discussing some ideas with her mum Tamoe, who is from Japan, Umeno decided to embark on the mammoth crafting project.

East Anglian Daily Times: Umeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BONDUmeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: Charlotte Bond)

“My mother used to tell me stories about a thousand cranes,” said Umeno.

In Japan there is a legend that if you make a thousand cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and health.

There is also a popular story about a girl called Sadako Sasaki, a Hiroshima bomb victim who grew ill in hospital and tried to create a thousand cranes to get her wish, but passed away before completing the cranes.

Fortunately, Umeno has been able to complete her challenge and has already made her wish.

East Anglian Daily Times: Umeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BONDUmeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: Charlotte Bond)

“I wished for world health and world peace,” said Umeno.

All the cranes have now been threaded onto strings and have proved a hit with Umeno’s teachers.

“School asked if they can use it as a display,” said Umeno.

“For now, we will hang it up in my room.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Umeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BONDUmeno Newland, 12, has made 1,000 colourful cranes during lockdown, inspired by a Japanese legend, where if you make 1,000 cranes you will be granted a wish of world peace and world health Picture: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Tamoe has been impressed with her daughter’s work.

“A lot of patience is required,” said Mrs Newland.

“I am from Japan, as a child I used to make cranes. I was about the same age as her as well.

“The crane is an auspicious symbol of hope and health.

“It was a really nice thing for her to make as well.”