WWI centenary remembrance plans to be unveiled

More than 80% of people want flags to fly at half mast and bells to ring on Remembrance Sunday 2014

David Cameron is set to reveal plans to commemorate the centenary of the start of World War I.

The PM will use a talk in London to underline why young people should be more aware of the sacrifices made by past generations.

It comes as a survey for a think tank suggests 69% of people want Remembrance Day 2014 to be a special national day.

British Future is calling for shops to close and flags to fly at half-mast out of respect for the fallen soldiers.

It also wants sporting fixtures such as Premier League football matches to be postponed and a longer period of silence to be observed.

Contemporary significance

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson says that while Mr Cameron wants to use his speech to talk to young people about commemorating the past, the year 2014 also has a contemporary significance.

It is when the referendum on Scottish independence will be held, so a reminder of what the nations of the UK have achieved together is seen as not unhelpful to the unionist cause, our correspondent says.

The YouGov online poll on behalf of the think tank British Future asked more than 1,700 British adults whether they believed Remembrance Sunday 2014 should be commemorated differently.

More than 80% of respondents thought bells should be rung across the UK and flags should fly at half-mast, and just over half thought major sports events should be moved to another day.

But the survey showed people were divided over whether shops should be closed - with 45% for and 45% against the proposal.

British Future director Sunder Katwala said: "We all need to decide if Remembrance Sunday in 2014 is going to feel pretty much like any other Sunday where Rooney plays for Man United [sic] against Arsenal... and all the garden centres and supermarkets open just as usual.

"Or should this be a special Sunday where we close the shops and have a football-free day and find ways to bring us together and understand our history and the country we have become?" he said.