Lymington sculptor plans poignant Armistice Day poppy hunt

Michael Turner said crafting the poppies had been "exhausting" and "incredibly poignant"

An artist has planned a "poignant" addition to his annual Armistice Day treasure hunt for ornate metal poppies.

Each November, Michael Turner hides his creations in and around the New Forest, posting clues to their whereabouts on social media.

Finders are invited to make donations to the Royal British Legion.

This year's poppies, which will be hidden on 11 November, are inset with buttons worn by soldiers in World War One and World War Two.

The sculptor will post pictorial clues to the poppies' locations on social media

The Lymington sculptor said crafting the stainless steel poppies had been "exhausting" and "incredibly poignant".

He said: "The buttons are magical... more than that. With the example of the tank regiment one - the thought that someone wore that in World War One in a tank and now I'm hopefully respecting that in what I'm doing is quite special."

Mr Turner's annual poppy hunt started in 2015 after he came across his grandfather's WW2 memorabilia.

Schoolgirl Edie Keates found one of the first poppies in 2015

The artist said: "It hit me quite hard. He potentially had an amazing career as a football goalkeeper in [Glasgow] Rangers.

"And he lost that dream and had to go to war... I often think about how his career could have gone.

"So many people contact me. They're so proud of their ancestors and people that have served and had horrific stories and so all of that goes in. Making these poppies... it's all of that."

Each poppy contains a button worn by a soldier in WW1 or WW2

Mr Turner will post the clue to the first poppy's location on his Instagram account and other social media sites at 06:00 GMT on 11 November, with other clues appearing throughout the day.

He said each of the 11 hidden poppies is found within 10 minutes, with people waiting in cars in the southern New Forest for clues to drop.

This year's locations may also include Christchurch or Highcliffe in Dorset, he said.

Another 11 poppies are being auctioned through the artist's website.

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