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Park tree decorated with thousands of poppies

BBC A cascade of knitted poppies around a tree trunk meets the reused plastic bottles on the ground in Queen's Park, LoughboroughBBC
Volunteers and nursery children have completed a woollen and plastic poppy display around a tree in Queen's Park, Loughborough

Thousands of knitted poppies have been wrapped around a tree in Loughborough's Queen's Park in a special mark of respect for Remembrance Sunday.

Volunteers organised by the Loughborough in Bloom team were supported by Watermead Day Nursery children to complete the installation of 6,500 poppies.

More than 2,500 hours of work over the last year has gone into the work, located near the town's main war memorial, the Carillon.

Nicola Clarke from idverde, the company that looks after Charnwood Borough Council's public parks, came up with the idea last year and said Loughborough's "fantastic voluntary community" was happy to get involved.

Local Scouts, the Women's Institute and Friends of Queen's Park were among the other groups that gathered to see the finished work, which will remain in place until after Remembrance Sunday.

The woollen installation also includes purple poppies - a symbol of remembrance for animals that served during wartime.

Anne Gray, cabinet lead member for open spaces at Charnwood Borough Council, said: "I was amazed to see what it's like. It's autumn - things are beginning to fade - so it's nice to see that big splash of colour."

Volunteers Jane Trevarthen and Sheila Harrison, from Loughborough's Forest Road Greenbelt gardeners, said it was hard work but enjoyable and a good chance to socialise.

They helped attach the knitted poppies to a used tennis net, which was attached then wrapped around the tree.

A tree with poppies wrapped round the trunk, with green grass and trees visible in the background
Thousands of wool poppies have been placed around the tree

Children from Watermead Day Nursery then planted more poppies, made from reused plastic bottles, in the grass below the tree.

Ms Clarke, from landscapes firm idverde, said: "It's a mark of respect for the men and women that gave their lives for our freedom.

"These people paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and they deserve our respect and they deserve that we never, ever forget what they've done for everybody and their country."

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