BRATTON is honouring those who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars more than most this year for Remembrance Day, after a 40ft poppy was installed overlooking the village.

The poppy, made from heavy tarpaulin often used on lorries and secured with 40 metal pegs, has been placed on the side of Picquet Hill for the commemorative event.

Lieutenant General Louis Lillywhite, president of the Royal British Legion in Bratton, said: “It’s been up there for about a week and we’re planning to leave it up there for another week until after Remembrance Day but we have to be conscious that it doesn’t affect the grass underneath.

“We had one up last year until the wind destroyed it as it was rather fragile.

“Peter Gale, who owns the land, took it to Marlborough company Dobie Wyatt to see if they could repair it but instead they made us a much more robust poppy with a significant discount in price.”

Bratton’s Remembrance Day March will take place on Sunday (November 8) at 9.30am from St James’ Church before a wreath laying ceremony at the village War Memorial at 11am.

An Act of Remembrance will also be held on Armstice Day, November 11, from 10.45am at the War Memorial.

“Bratton has got a very active RBL which is very much at the centre of the village,” added Lt Gen Lillywhite, who has lived in Bratton for nine years and served in the Army’s Medical Services for 42 years.

“There are not that many places that have a hill which overlooks a village with the right angle of slope etc to put something like this so it’s quite a nice thing to have but also poignant.

“I think it’s being noticed and recognised and the number of people who attend our Remembrance Day Parade is increasing.

“We normally raise between six to eight thousand pounds each year which for a village of only about 1,200 people is quite a significant amount.”