More than 200 residents in a Wiltshire village have knitted nearly 7,300 poppies to honour men who died while serving their country.

They were all part of the Holt Poppy Display volunteers who knitted a giant cascade being displayed on the tower of St Katherine’s Church.

One of the volunteers is Lesley Escott, 61, from Hawcroft, in Holt, who says knitting the poppies has helped to ‘keep her sane’ while caring for her mum.

She knitted Tommy boots and a helmet and several hundred poppies to help decorate the village in the run up to Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.

Lesley Escott with the knitted tribute of Tommy helmet and boots.Lesley Escott with the knitted tribute of Tommy helmet and boots. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Lesley say she and her family, including mum Marion and her aunt Christine, have between them knitted 1,000 of the 7,296 poppies used for the Holt poppy cascade.

“Initially, I started knitting them for the D-Day 80th anniversary but the Holt Poppy Display put the call out for poppies,” Lesley said.

“I also did the majority of purple poppies for the heart that’s displayed on the village green.”

Lesley cared for her father for 14 years before he died and is now a full-time carer for her mother.

She added: “It was great to be part of the Holt Poppy Display project and has helped to keep me sane.”

The Holt Poppy Display team has so far raised an astonishing £2,428.27 from their Cascade Celebration Concert.

The cash includes funds from the sale of Handmade in Holt Poppies and candles gifted by Holt’s own candlemakers Heaven Scent.

The Holt Poppy Cascade is being illuminated at night-timeThe Holt Poppy Cascade is being illuminated at night-time (Image: Helen Bennett Gray)

Helen Gray, of the Holt Poppy Display, said: “The cascade is drawing visitors from all over Wiltshire.

“We have been blessed with dry weather so drying the cascade will be so much easier when the time comes to take it down.”

She added: “There is still time to see this wonderful but moving achievement made by over 200 volunteer ladies of Holt with 7,296 poppies in the cascade and around the village.

“It will not come down until Monday, November 18 but it will return next year to hopefully raise more funds for the Royal British Legion to show we will never forget.”

The Holt volunteers are now planning their next project, a 20ft-plus crocheted and knitted Christmas tree to be displayed near The Wild Herb Cafe in Holt in 2025.

Helen added: “It will be stunning and the volunteers are looking forward to making creative squares throughout next year.”