RESIDENTS of a town pulled out all the stops to launch this year’s Poppy Appeal.

That’s after members of The King James Women’s Institute, along with other volunteers, crocheted or knitted more than 3,000 poppies for a balcony display Bishop Auckland Town Hall.

More than 50 volunteers have been working tirelessly on the project since January and got to see their efforts pay off when the piece was unveiled by Bishop Auckland mayor, Adam Zair, at the town’s official Poppy Appeal launch on Thursday night.

The WI’s vice chairwoman Ann Williams-Maughan, who is also one of three Poppy Appeal organisers for the town along with Valerie Armstrong and Andrea Nicol, said the whole group had been blown away by the support of the community who really got behind the project to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in wars past and present.

Mrs Williams-Maughan said everyone from local craft groups to cadets at the town’s TA centre and Kynren volunteers had pitched in to make sure the piece was an eye catcher while North-East Netting donated the net needed.

She said: “We want to say a big thank you to everybody who helped.”

The trio, who took over responsibility for the Poppy Appeal last year, said they are already planning something “bigger and better” for next year.