Town inches closer to poppy world record

A hand rail slanted upwards with four men in action as they hoist up a large red and purple knitted poppy display onto the railings. Their faces express how heavy it is as they pull it up.360-drone & RC Photography

One of the nets is fixed to the side of Altitude 44 in Skegness on Saturday

Eleanor Maslin
East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

A group says it is inching closer to setting a new world record for the largest poppy display.

On Saturday, a team of eight attached three nets - each containing hand-made poppies - to the side of Altitude 44, a 69ft-tall (21m) high-wire activity in Skegness.

The final two nets will be installed later this week to make a total of 84,673 poppies on display.

Tracy Turner, vice chairwoman of the town's Royal British Legion, said: "Once all five nets are up we can apply and send in all our evidence to set the new Guinness World Record."

A sea of red with a few purple knitted poppies draped across a railing. One half of it is tied to the railing whilst four people can be seen working to secure the rest of the display on a high-wire attraction.360-drone & RC Photography

The final two nets will be added later this week

The poppies are made using wool and the bottoms of plastic bottles.

Ms Turner said: "The nets are very heavy. The installation team did an absolutely amazing job."

She joked: "We've got poppy fatigue!"

The team will return later this week to install the final two nets on the other side of Altitude 44.

Ms Turner said: "We are not beating a record, we are setting it.

"It's been the most humbling, emotional and rewarding thing we've ever done."

A circular piece of brown soil with a plaque in front of it with a red poppy and 'The Royal British Legion Skegness' printed on to it with wreaths in front of it. Standing around the circle are several cadets holding Union Jack flags. Behind them is a high-wire attraction with a red sea of poppies draped from it.360-drone & RC Photography

A Remembrance event was held in front of the partially-completed display on Saturday

The poppies have come from all over the world, including Monaco and Canada, with some people individually creating between 4,000 and 8,000.

A Guinness World Records spokesperson said: "As with all record attempts, the verification process can take some time while we carefully assess all materials against the specific record guidelines.

"At this stage, the result has not yet been confirmed.

"Once the review is complete, we'll be in touch with the organisers directly to share the outcome."

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