A WOMAN whose first husband was killed while serving in the army aged just 25 has made beautiful poppies ahead of Remembrance Day to help the Royal British Legion (RBL).

Seventy-year-old Susan Rimmer has knitted hundreds of the poppies with her own fair hands.

They are now being sold for £2 each at Parade Fisheries fish and chip shop in Cottingley - where Susan's granddaughter Ellie Robertshaw works - and all donations will be going to Lister House, the RBL's care home in Ripon.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: One of the stunning poppiesOne of the stunning poppies (Image: Mike Simmonds/Newsquest)

In 1972, Susan sadly lost her husband in Northern Ireland.

James Lee served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment and was killed by the IRA in Crossmaglen.

At the time, Susan was just 19-years-old and also pregnant with her first daughter.

In 1989, she remarried another soldier, David Rimmer, who also served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment and was posted in Northern Ireland.

Susan, of Otley, said: "Hand knitting poppies for Remembrance Day is something I've done for many years.

"I've made 600 of them for this year - it's something I enjoy doing and I like helping the RBL as it's a wonderful charity and it really needs our support.

"I've been surrounded by the military my whole life and these poppies are a way of saying thank you to everyone who has served the country."

Ellie said: "The poppies are lovely and they're going to a really important cause which is very close to our hearts.

"I'm so proud of my grandma - she's absolutely amazing.

"She's been through a lot over the years but she's always muddled through.

"She's really inspirational for so many reasons - she's long been fighting for war widows' pensions and even went down to Parliament as part of her campaign for this.

"The poppies serve as a lovely tribute to James, who I sadly never met but I've learned a lot about over the years.

"They are also a lovely way of thanking David for his service and everything he's done and continues to do for us.

"He brought us up as his own grandchildren and is an absolutely amazing person and we love him very much."

Ellie added that the poppies were selling well and had attracted plenty of positive comments. 

For those wanting to buy one of the poppies and help the RBL, Parade Fisheries is located at The Parade in Cottingley.