POPPIES in red, white and purple that have been created by people from all over the world now adorn the Market Cross in Devizes as the town does its bit to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

Loz Samuels the artistic director of Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts which has joined forces with the town council, Royal British Legion, Wiltshire Museum and St John's Church to make sure the fallen are remembered is delighted with the outcome.

Hundreds of poppies were made by the Devizes Knit and Natter group but after Ms Samuels took to the radio to urge others to send in poppies she was overwhelmed by the response for the yarn bombing poppy trail.

She said: "I hoped people would respond but they just kept on coming. Some have been sent in from as far away as Mexico and the USA."

The traditional red poppy adopted to remember men and women killed in conflicts is joined by the purple poppy to remind people of animals that are the victims of war and white poppies to symbolise all casualties of war including civilians and non British deaths and to call for peace.

Ms Samuels also joined with members of Devizes Youthy to create silhouettes of fallen soldiers in The Brittox by spraying chalk paint on the paving stones.

So far there are 103 silhouettes but if a donor comes forward to pay for more paint she hopes to create another 86 to match the number of names on the war memorial outside St John's Church.

On Saturday the 189 fallen will be remembered in a moving ceremony led by Royal British Legion secretary Wayne Cherry as people holding their names line up in The Brittox from 10.30am. He still needs another 60 people to volunteer to take part.

Artists are also creating A Portrait Of A Hero in St John's Church which runs until November 10. Milan Arvindkumar and graffiti artists are creating a giant portrait in coloured sand. A reflective service will be held tonight (Nov 1) at 6pm. Then on November 11 after the Remembrance service the artwork will be dispersed.

On November 5 the garden of remembrance will be dedicated at 10.45am and this will be immediately followed by a concert in the Corn Exchange and the reading of the names recorded on the war memorial.

On November 8 The Flickering Light will be held in the Corn Exchange when archive footage reflecting life in Wiltshire before and during WW1 will be shown.

To volunteer with Mr Cherry go to the Facebook group 100 Hours Of Remembrance.