A POPPY seller who dedicated decades of her life to the Poppy Appeal has been remembered at her town's annual launch for the charity - the first since her passing.

Former Second World War servicewoman Carmel Connolly, of Spennymoor, died in January at the age of 105.

A former member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, Mrs Connolly spent around half a century supporting the Royal British Legion and sold more than a million poppies for the charity over her lifetime.

During the Second World War she was a cook at air bases across the country and survived several German bombing raids, having joined the WAAF in 1940.

She left the military in 1945 and worked for the Post Office until she retired in 1981.

After she passed away, Spennymoor Town Council resolved to fund a memorial bench at the town’s Jubilee Park.

The bench, which overlooks the bowling green, was unveiled by deputy mayor Councillor Clive Maddison this summer.

And Cllr Maddison, along with fellow councillor Billy McAloon and Poppy Appeal volunteers gathered at Mrs Connolly's bench on Saturday to officially launch the town's 2017 Appeal and pay tribute to the woman who had been so involved with it.

After laying a poppy wreath dedicated to Mrs Connolly, Cllr Maddison said she, along with fellow volunteer, the late Millie Flannagan, would be "a big miss" for the Appeal.

Poppy Appeal organiser, Pete Molloy, who is helped by his wife Amanda and their four children Adam Foster, 17, Michael Molloy, seven, Conor Molloy, five and Brigid, two, said he thought it was appropriate to honour Mrs Connolly at this year's launch.

He said: "Everyone thought a lot of her and the family appreciate what we have done for her."

Mr Molloy, 46, added: "We have been having an official launch for the last couple of years, but we thought this year it would be appropriate to come to the bench and lay a wreath in her honour."

Former Poppy Appeal organiser, Paul Harper, who also attended the launch, said: "Carmel would be amused."

Members of the public can buy a poppy from volunteers at Spennymoor's Asda store.