VISITORS to an exhibition marking the centenary of the Somme could win a poignant reminder of the battle.

Durham University is to give away several Royal British Legion limited edition poppy lapel pins created to mark 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.

To coincide with Armed Forces Day on Saturday, visitors to the “Somme 1916: From Durham to the Western Front” exhibition on Palace Green in Durham will be offered the chance to enter a draw to win one of the pins.

The Royal British Legion has commissioned the poppies, made from shell fuses recovered from the battlefield and each individually dedicated to one of the 19,240 soldiers who fell in the bloodiest battle of the First World War.

Julie Biddlecombe-Brown, Durham University Exhibitions Curator, said: “The commemorative poppy pins are made from brass shell fuses recovered from the fields that once formed the Somme battlefield.

“Each comes with the details of an individual member of the Fallen, and the red heart of the poppy is made with finely-ground earth from the Somme.

“We thought Armed Forces Day was an appropriate occasion to give visitors to the exhibition a chance to win one of these beautiful and moving reminders.

“Another poppy will be given away to someone who visits on the actual anniversary of the battle, July 1, 2016.”

The exhibition runs until October 2 and is open from 10am to 5pm daily.

Admission is £7.50 for adults, £6.50 for children and concessions and free for children under five.

• Are you planning an event to mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme? Email details to newsdesknorth@nne.co.uk