HUNDREDS of school and nursery age children gathered at Wincanton Recreation Ground to create a giant human poppy and raise awareness of this year’s Poppy Appeal.

The display was the idea of Wincanton & District RBL branch president and Poppy Appeal organiser Dawn Old.

The 800 youngsters wore black or red and were given the same-coloured cards to hold up above their heads to create a huge poppy.

Branch secretary Steve Lee said: “Each year the Poppy Appeal team try to think of engaging ways to launch the appeal locally and this year was no exception.”

He added: “A big thank you to everyone involved and particularly 1 Regiment Army Air Corps which sent along a helicopter to film, photograph and relay back to the ground how the poppy was looking from above.”

RBL county chairman Robert McDonald BEM and county Poppy Appeal co-ordinator Paul Bunce attended the event.

Wincanton’s Poppy Appeal will launch on Saturday, October 21, with a coffee morning at Wincanton Memorial Hall from 10-11.30am, everyone welcome.