A DISPLAY of more than 1,000 poppies at a church near Hay-on-Wye will remain on view until the new year.

Volunteers knitted, cut and drew the red poppies to decorate St Mary’s Church in Cusop ahead of the centenary of the end of the First World War, and signing of the Armistice, on November 11.

But the display, which is accompanied by historicial information about the war and its impact locally, collated by the Cusop History Group, will remain on display in the church until the end of February.

The display was the brainchild of Cusop resident Penny Winter who was inspired by an Australian campaign to create a poppy for every Australian soldier lost in the Great War.

The seven men from Cusop who lost their lives in the war are remembered on a memorial stone in the church.

Among those to have contributed poppies to the display were the Mother’s Union at St Mary’s Church, the Tea and Chat group, Hay-on-WI women’s institute, the Clifford border link Messy Church and Hay County Primary School.

Four-year-old Jessie Lally, who took part with her grandmother, is thought to be the youngest person to have contributed to the appeal. Jessie said: “I painted at least 22 poppies.”