STUDENTS and staff at Wiltshire College have created their own tribute featuring more than 1,000 handmade poppies to mark Remembrance Day.

The display in the reception area also features a replica cenotaph, mannequin soldiers and rifles made by carpentry students.

The idea to create poppy displays at each of the college’s four campuses came from Jane Davison, head of the learning resources centres.

She said: “I thought that it would be lovely to put displays together after hearing what Salisbury Guildhall was doing for Remembrance Day. I talked about it with my colleagues who were all keen to get involved and it’s been so wonderful to see staff and students come together to help make as many poppies as possible.

“I am also really proud of the LRC staff who took on this project as they all have completely different displays which are wonderful and poignant in their own way.”

Susan Stennett, a library assistant, said more than 1,000 poppies were made by staff and students in Salisbury.

She said: “We held sessions each week for staff and students to come along and help make poppies and were really pleased at the number who came along and got involved.

“It was a fantastic way of breaking down barriers between different groups of students, who may not have previously met because they are on different courses or timetables and this was a sociable and creative activity. Personally, I have had the chance to work with different students also and that has been lovely.

“I am really pleased with the display and think that it looks fantastic in the reception area and there have already been lots of positive comments.”

The display was only going to feature poppies until a local poppy seller offered to donate a cardboard cenotaph and then carpentry students were keen to offer their support by making wooden rifles.

Trudi Hodges, communications officer for the college, said: “We have Uniformed Public Services students on this campus and lots of students, who have family members in the Armed Forces.

“Some of our students also live on Army barracks and because of this I think the display is all the more poignant.”