OVER 3,000 clay poppies have been made by pupils in Blackburn to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Students from Witton Park Academy have created 3,117 clay poppies in order to remember every soldier from Blackburn and Darwen who died during the war.

The poppies have been hand-made and painted by pupils at the school and they will go on display as part of their Centenary Remembrance event on Friday November 9.

Humanities teacher Mrs Louise Elliott said: “Over the past few months, our students have been creating 3,117 clay poppies, one for every soldier from Blackburn with Darwen who died during the war.

“After the unveiling of the display on the 9th, all the poppies will be sold for £5, with the money being donated to the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association.”

The poppies, which are traditional in style, will be exhibited outside the school on Friday November 9, and will later be sold through the school’s website.

Members of the public will be able to go and view the poppies from Buncer Lane.

Mrs Elliott said: “At 11am, all our students will take part in a minute’s silence to reflect and remember the fallen soldiers from our community.”

BAE Systems has funded the project and Mrs Elliott said that if all 3,117 poppies sell, the school will manage to raise over £15,000 for the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association.

She added: “While they have been making the poppies our students had the chance to meet an ex-serviceman called Shaun who is helped by BLESMA, and they found it to be a very humbling experience.”

One student said: “Shaun was amazing. His story made me realise what it is really like on the battlefield.

“It’s hard to understand this when you are sat in a classroom. But meeting a veteran makes it more real.”

Another pupil said: “To meet a veteran from a modern war made me think what it must have been like 100 years ago.

“There was no NHS then, so how did they manage?"

“It must have been so hard for them.”

Another student added: “Meeting Shaun was great. He made me look at amputee people in a totally different way.

“The fact he lost his legs and his eye at 19, but didn’t see that as the end, was just awe -inspiring.”

Remembrance Sunday is on November 11, exactly 100 years since the end of the First World War.