Sheffield village church lit up with floating poppy art installation

Artist's impression of the floating red poppies illumination projected on the side of St Nicholas' Church, High Bradfield

A Sheffield church will be transformed into "a beacon of commemoration" with a giant illumination of red poppies.

St Nicholas' Church in High Bradfield will be lit each evening from Sunday 1 to 8 November.

The illumination was designed by Pinkdotinc Design, in nearby Dungworth, and will be visible from Sheffield.

Project officer Richard Godley said state-of-the-art technology had been used to commemorate hundreds of local people who died in conflict.

The Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Cllr Talib Hussain, was due to switch on the lights at 18:00 GMT.

It will be signalled 20 minutes earlier every evening with red search lights in the sky, "imagining World War One soldiers standing on guard in front of St Nicholas' Church".

St Nicholas' C of E church in High Bradfield near Sheffield, as seen in daylight

Five minutes before the poppies appear, the lights move in the sky above Bradfield valley.

As the bell strikes 18:00, each evening, the lights will swoop around in the sky and giant floating red poppies appear.

'Overwhelming'

Mr Godley said interest in the project had been "overwhelming".

"The finished installation is going to be visible for miles around," he said.

"We're using state-of-the-art technology to allow local people to remember loved ones lost in the two devastating world wars."

The project is part of the Poppy Memorial Trail, which incorporates St Nicholas' Church war memorials and war graves.

Memories of loved ones are written on more than 1,000 red plaques along the trail to raise funds for Help For Heroes, the Royal British Legion and the church.

Rector of St Nicholas' Church, Rev Alan Isaacson, said: "It's not to glorify war in any way but to honour those who served to protect us."

A full week of commemoration events are planned in nearby villages, including talks, walks and tours.