Sky fills with 360,000 poppies in veterans' tribute

Hundreds of thousands of poppies have been scattered from 80m (about 260ft) in the air to honour those who served in the two world wars and other conflicts.

A group of 32 people used the Big Ben Tower ride at Skegness Pleasure Beach, Lincolnshire, to release 360,000 biodegradable poppies at noon on Sunday.

It followed last year's display when the seaside town's Royal British Legion branch put 37,082 poppies around the clock tower.

Tracy Turner, vice chair of the branch, said: "It was very emotional. There were people on the ride crying, there were people off the ride crying."

Melvin Mac, whose grandad was a D-Day veteran, was one of those taking part. She scattered a tablespoon of her grandfather's ashes during the event, four years after he died.

"I couldn't think of a more fitting way for [her] grandad to go. It's just left that family with some memories of what their grandad did for us in 1945," Ms Turner said.

The release of the poppies, which were funded by Skegness RBL chair Kevin Woolley and Ms Turner, was accompanied by Sir Edward Elgar's Nimrod.

Later this year, the Skegness branch of the legion will attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the largest display of poppies on a high-altitude attraction.

Drone footage by 360-drone-co.uk and Infinite Dronescapes

Picture by RC Photography

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here, external.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store, external for iPhone and iPad or Google Play, external for Android devices