Prince Harry 'proud' of Rutland's poppy WW1 tribute

The poppy tribute was unveiled in the grounds of Oakham Castle

A community project to mark the end of the World War One with 10,000 poppies has been backed by Prince Harry.

Volunteers from the Rutland Poppy Project have been working with community groups to make the ceramic poppies.

At the unveiling in the grounds of Oakham Castle, the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland read a message from Prince Harry congratulating organisers.

The poppies will be sold to raise funds for the Royal British Legion.

The group has been funded by donations and backed by local primary schools, scout groups, cadets, local care homes and fire stations.

Prince Harry has been on a 16-day tour of Australasia

The Prince had been invited to Sunday's event, but was unable to attend due to being on a royal tour in Australia.

"He sent the most lovely letter saying how much he wishes he was with us and he's very proud of the great effort and thinks Rutland has done superbly," said Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness.

"He wrote as a military officer, he said, so we're very pleased about that."

The ceramic poppies have been made by 6,000 people in the county

Organiser Vickie Goddard said every school in Rutland had taken part, with about 3,000 children and another 3,000 adults involved,

"I feel incredibly proud that so many people embraced a simple idea.

"It is a momentous commemoration, it is so much more then buying a poppy, it shows the power of working together," she said.

Some of the poppies are purple, which represent animals killed in the war.

While the poppies will stay in the castle for a month before being sold, every war memorial in Rutland is to be sent an ornamental horseshoe with a poppy attached.

Hundreds of people turned out to see the unveiling of the poppy display on Sunday