TWO “rivers” of real poppies were planted on St Christopher’s Green to flow down from the double cascade of the red home-made flowers draping the sides of the church tower to add to the spectacular commemoration mounted for the Haslemere Great War Centenary Project.

The Archdeacon of Surrey the Venerable Paul Davies led a packed service at St Christopher’s in April to dedicate a new flagpole with regilded cross, following the installation of cascades of poppes made by pupils of Haslemere and surrounding schools and attached to the netting by hundreds of volunteers. Residents then volunteered their services to grow on real poppies in their greenhouses, ready to plant out as a mini-Flanders Field.

Preparations for a themed flower festival, from September 14-16 are now under way as part of the project.

Project chairman Ken Griffiths said: “We planted 3,000 more poppies last Friday.

“We envisage it as two ‘rivers of blood’ that will merge to go into a pool.

“We are so pleased by all the support we have received. It’s a real labour of love.”