THE Canvey community came together to knit 360 poppies to hang in the trees surrounding the island’s war memorial.

Castle Point councillor Janice Payne put out an appeal for help to get together around 100 knitted poppies to hang in the branches of the trees in the Paddocks near Long Road.

Mrs Payne was inspired to make the appeal after watching a television programme about the 100 year anniversary of the end of the First World War this year.

She made an appeal for the community to pick up their knitting needles to get together 100 poppies to hang, but on Saturday, her and a group of volunteers put up 360, with more still being donated.

Mrs Payne said: “The response has been absolutely phenomenal, I had so many residents popping up saying they’d do one, with some doing dozens by themselves.

“It was really lovely to see, there’s a real sense that the community came together to decorate the Paddocks and make it into something special.

“With these poppies, when they’re in the sun and there’s a breeze, it looks so beautiful.

“It makes them feel like much more than just a display, they move with the wind and are within the trees, it looks brilliant. I’m so happy with it.”

Mrs Payne said the appeal has gone beyond Canvey Island, with more people from around Essex pitching in to donate more.

The work is still not fully complete, with Mrs Payne and more volunteers going back daily to add more poppies in the run up to Remembrance Sunday this weekend.

She added: “There’s a real sense of love in the community that has gone into this. Every day I’ve come back to my house and there’s a fresh bag of knitted poppies that have been left.

“I’ve had people from Thurrock and beyond get in contact to say they wanted to give them.

“I must say a huge thank you to all the volunteers who helped put the poppies up on Saturday, it was really worth the effort.”