A cascade of handmade poppies has been unveiled to the public.

Volunteers living in Halstead have spent three hours putting up the display on the front doors of the town's library in Bridge Street ahead of this weekend's remembrance commemorations.

The group launched the project earlier this year and have spent close to eight months knitting and crocheting an estimated 3,000 poppies which all feature in the cascade.

Along with the traditional red poppies, there is also a smattering of purple poppies to remember the animals killed in the Great War.

Jackie Hawkes, who has helped make and organise the cascade, said: "It was a little acorn of an idea at first but now it's grown into an Oak tree.

"We are just a group of friends who who wanted to do something for the community and poppies seemed like the perfect thing to do what with the 100th anniversary.

"We started making the poppies back in April so it has taken quite a long time to make. Some of the team have gone on their summer holidays and been making poppies while sat on the beach.

We reckon there are somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 poppies on the display. We did start counting but gave up after a while because there was just too many. It was only meant to be a little display."

The cascade has been installed ahead of this year's Armistice commemorations, which will mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Community groups such as Halstead in Bloom, the town's U3A team and Essex Knitters and Stitchers have all contributed to the display, along with members of the public who have volunteered their own handmade poppies.

Businesses from the Bluebridge Industrial Estate have also sponsored the display and donated materials which have been used to support the cascade.

Mrs Hawkes says the response from the community has been "typical' of Halstead and is inviting anyone with a handmade poppy to attach it to the railings outside the library.

She added: "Our main objective when we started was to get the community, the elderly and care homes busy and involved.

"It has been surprising how many people have supported us.

"We've even had people from outside the town turn up with bags of poppies they want us to use.

"I want to thank everyone who was helped us for their hard work and say a special thank you to the Hyacinth Tea Rooms for supporting us and letting us hold our meetings in there."

Another display featuring an estimated 800 crafted poppies has also been set up in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church.

The poppies have been reinstated having first been displayed to the public back in June when the town held a number of special events to commemorate 100 years since the end of the Great War.