Wave of crocheted poppies installed on Lepe Beach

Hundreds of handmade poppies were donated by local people

Hundreds of handmade poppies have been installed on a beach ahead of Remembrance Day.

The tribute at Lepe Beach in the New Forest contains 1,940 knitted and crocheted poppies cascading in a giant wave from the visitor centre on to the shingle below.

It was designed by Louise Payne who works at Lepe Country Park.

Poppies were donated by members of the Waterside Veterans Coffee Club, Badgers Holt Care Home and the public.

Louise Payne was given the task of creating a poppy display at Lepe Country Park

Louise Payne said: "I'm pretty proud of it. I didn't think it would turn out as well as it did and the response from veterans and the community has been incredible."

Ginny Guy, who enlisted her friends to help make the poppies, said they were simple to make with each one taking about 20 minutes.

She said: "I wasn't alive in the First or Second World War but I remember the Falklands, Iraq, Afghanistan, so I remember people needing help from the British Legion and I was delighted to be involved."

Lepe Beach was an embarkation point for thousands of troops and vehicles involved in the D-Day landings in Normandy and evidence of the wartime installations can still be seen.

The display has been unveiled to coincide with the launch of the Royal British Legion's poppy appeal.

Lepe Beach was an embarkation point for thousands of troops involved in the D-Day landings