PUPILS of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary in Ilkley have created an extraordinary environmentally friendly poppy installation in their playground to mark the centenary of the 1918 Armistice.

Pupils from Reception to Year 6 worked with parent volunteers to recycle plastic bottles into the eye-catching display, which took its inspiration from the original installation at the Tower of London. Children at the school in Valley Drive made nearly 300 poppies as part of their WW1 centenary commemorations.

Deputy Head Moira Hogan said: “The idea came from our year 6 children. They’ve been studying WW1 as part of the curriculum and they’ve been fascinated by it, and were so keen to mark it in a special way at school. Our commemoration ended with a very moving whole school Remembrance Service, lead by year 6, on the Friday before Armistice Day. Visitors and parents to the school have responded really positively to the installation. We are really proud of the children and all their efforts.”

*Burley in Wharfedale Scouts, with the support of land owner Michael Smith, organised a fire beacon on Burley Moor on Sunday at 7pm to mark 100 years since the end of WW1. Over 100 members from the Scouting organisation walked over the moor to participate in a short service and the lighting of the beacon. The service included a reflection on the boy soldiers who fought in the war who would have been of similar age to some of the Scouts and Explorers. Other fire beacons were lit simultaneously along the Wharfe Valley.