VOLUNTEERS in Radcliffe have put together a remembrance display of poppies at the gates of the old East Lancashire Paper Mill.

Members of Radcliffe Litter Pickers made around 200 poppies out of recycled bottle tops and placed them around the area to commemorate the sacrifices made in past conflicts.

The group also attached the poppies to trees in a community garden on Church Street West and are planning further remembrance displays at Radcliffe Market.

Gill Smith, a spokesman who helped put the display together said: “We thought this would be a really nice idea.

"The soldiers of these wars made Britain what it is today, they saved us from being invaded and ensured a future for us by giving their lives.

“They were young man fighting and dying in another country and no one should ever forget that sacrifice - what they did was incredibly brave and we’re thankful for what they’ve done.

“It makes me so pleased people like the display, and I got a lovely comment from a veteran who saw it which made it all worth it. Many people know someone or has a relative who is in the forces today and this is for them as well."

She called on townsfolk to consider making a donation to the Royal British Legion if they like the display.

Christine Holt, a colleague, added: “It’s important to remember these wars because they have put us where we are today with the freedoms we have and this is a nice time to reflect on that. I feel that putting the poppies there is a good thing for the community and helps maintain a sense of pride and gratitude for what they did.”