YOUNGSTERS will learn about some of Wiltshire's most iconic war memorials thanks to a £50,000 lottery grant.

They will get their hands dirty taking part in an archaeological survey of the famous Fovant Badges.

The military insignia were carved into a chalk hillside on Fovant Down by soldiers stationed there during the First World War.

The charity that looks after the site, the Fovant Badges Society, has been awarded £52,700 of Heritage Lottery Fund cash towards its centenary project.

As part of the educational scheme, young people will take part in archaeological surveys and re-enact the building of the first badges back in 1916.

These activities will accompany the creation of a new centenary badge on the hillside this summer.

The project aims to involve as many young people as possible directly in the badges' story to ensure their continued preservation.

And volunteers of all ages will take part in field walking, geophysical surveys and the excavation of known First World War features.

Photographs of the soldiers at the camp and of them building some of the surviving badges will be recreated by volunteers as they help to build the Centenary Badge – a 25 metre Flanders poppy with a “1916”, “2016” legend.

None of the grant money will be used to build the badge.

Many of the myths surrounding the construction of the badges will be evaluated by archaeologists and the volunteers during the project, and a film of the planned events will be made for future reference.

Richard Bullard of the Fovant Badges Society said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for a second time in two years, this is a huge vote of confidence in our WW1 Centenary Education Project that is involving the young people of Wiltshire and the South West in the badges story.”

Nerys Watts, Head of HLF South West, said: “The Fovant Badges are a powerful visual reminder of the momentous events of the First World War and a fitting tribute to all those who fought 100 years ago. Building on the successes of their previous National Lottery-funded projects, this grant will help the society tell the Fovant Badges story to many more young people and discover more about how and why they were created.”