A field of poppies is being created at a Harden beauty spot as part of First World War commemorations.

Friends of St Ives are producing the display in the grounds of the mansion, alongside the picnic area.

Harden-based sports turf research company STRI – which has recently been appointed to maintain military cemeteries across the world during the anniversary years of the Great War – has advised the Friends on sowing and caring for the poppies, and used specialist machinery to prepare the ground.

“We’ve sown flax seeds with the poppies to give a greater show, and it’s hoped this whole area will become a beautiful wildflower meadow for everyone to enjoy and a great habitat for bees, butterflies and birds,” said Friends chairman, Pam Laking. “We recently held a poppy seed sowing day, when visitors were invited to sow handfuls of seeds and remember all those who suffered and died in that awful conflict.”

The Co-operative memorial company at Nab Wood provided all the seeds, and is also producing a stone memorial tablet to be placed at the site later this year during a special ceremony.