The White Hart Hotel in Calne reached a century of decorative poppies on Saturday morning, just in time for Remembrance Sunday.

David and Rebecca Leaning, have spent the last two months creating the display in London Road which reached 100 poppies just in time for the big day.

Despite being busy landlords of the White Hart Hotel, Mrs Leaning created the material flowers in the corner of the hotel’s bar using her 1951 Singer sewing machine, while her husband was in charge of adding the detail with a permanent marker.

Mrs Leaning, whose father was a Second World War veteran, said: “We are doing it because we believe in this as a very good and just cause.

“It brings people’s minds closer to the cause and that’s what’s happened with our poppies. People are proud its part of their town and it goes to show we care.”

“We did it because it’s the right thing to do, we didn’t think it would be so successful”

The couple, who have been in charge of the hotel for just over a year, have even been experimenting with decorative poppies on plain black umbrellas.

Mr Leaning, a retired IT specialist for the Royal Signals in the Army, hopes the display will be used for many years to come.

He said: “The material is top quality. We are pleasantly surprised by the response, the interest shown in it has been good but that’s secondary to what it’s about.

“It’s touched a lot of people and its drawing attention to a very good cause.”

As well as collecting money from visitors and guests, the couple also donated the proceeds from last Tuesday’s pub quiz to the Royal British Legion including a round on Remembrance.

Questions included, how many Victorian Crosses, the highest award for gallantry, were awarded during the First World War? 628. And what was the highest number of Victorian Crosses awarded in a single day during the conflict? Nine on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1 1916.

The couple have ruled out a similar display for Christmas but are hoping to get the community involved with more fundraising ideas next year.