THOUSANDS of poppies rained down from the top of Worcester’s Guildhall to mark the start of this year’s Royal British Legion (RBL) poppy appeal.

Shoppers stopped in the street to listen to the bugle sound the Last Post as the clock struck noon on Saturday.

The paper poppies then spiralled down on top of standard bearers, cadets, and RBL members during a two-minute silence.

Speaking after the ceremony, Worcestershire RBL chairman Ken Draper revealed the county raised £440,000 from the appeal last year.

He said: “It is important that we collect as much money as possible because the welfare needs of our ex-service community does increase year-on-year.

"That’s not just Second World War veterans but soldiers from more recent conflicts.”

Worcester Mayor Lucy Hodgson, who gave a speech at the Guildhall, said: “The poppy appeal is a very important service for the Royal British Legion and over the last year they have actually increased the money raised and spent.

“We also mustn’t forget it’s the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War as well and remember all of those lost in the last two world wars and those lost since the Second World War too.”