An 84-year-old man has made two figurines out of poppies to ‘keep people interested in Remembrance Day’.

Tony Collier, who spent two years in the British Army but did not fight in any wars, has spent the last three years situated at Hazlemere’s Coop where he has sold poppies for the Royal British Legion.

The two figurines, which are of a boy and a girl, accompany the veteran at the entrance of the shop. 

He told the Bucks Free Press: “I was inspired to make them because I wanted people to keep being interested around Remembrance, because the more interested people are, the more poppies are sold and more money is made, which is what the soldiers need.

“They are made up of 200 poppies from the last few years which were a bit worn and tatty and it took me about a week to make them.

“The unsold poppies usually go back but I’d thought I’d be different and make them as I want people to still be interested in Remembrance.

He then added: "I didn’t fight in any wars but I did serve in the army for two years.

“And I didn’t really see anything horrific when I was there but I have seen a lot of horrific stuff in Stoke Mandeville Hospital as my wife spent a fair bit of time there, and I saw some pretty disturbing things such as people who had lost limbs.

“So I want to do my bit to help.”

Between 1914 to 1918, around 860,000 to 1,011,000 British people lost their lives in World War One, where people died from military injuries, combat injuries, malnutrition, severe causes of flu or being missing in action.

Not long after the conclusion of the Great War, poppies were planted in the battlefields where servicemen had fought and lost their lives during the four-year conflict.

The poppy has been worn by the British people to remember those who fought for our freedom since 1921, with the flower being trademarked by the Royal British Legion

Coop’s team manager James Preece added: “At Remembrance, we really couldn’t do it with Tony.

“This is my first year here so I haven’t experienced this before but seeing what Tony does is amazing.

“The people come in and they love him – he’s doing an amazing job.

“Also, I think Coop is really good for its community work and I think it’s important for people to come in and really lead the way.

“We also want to help as much as we can.”

For more information about the Royal British Legion, visit www.britishlegion.org.uk.