A VETERAN poppy seller has been joined by two of the Royal British Legion’s youngest members to launch this year’s appeal in part of the North-East.

Vera Parnaby, who has fundraised for the charity for 70 years, was joined by eight-year-old Chiana Gray and ten year-old Abigail Owen, from Consett.

They were at Christ Church in Consett on Saturday to launch the annual poppy appeal, 100 years after the outbreak of the First World War.

Mrs Parnaby, 75, from Blackhill, began selling the poppies with her mother herself as a little girl following the death of her father, who was a soldier serving in the Second World War.

She said: “It is nice to see them coming in young as I started when I was young as well and continued ever since.”

Last month Chiana and Abigail were made honorary junior members of the Consett branch of the Royal British Legion after they were moved by commemoration of the start of World War One.

Branch chairman George McKay, who served with the British Army for 26 years, said: “The branch is very proud and humbled that these young girls have went out of their way to help us promote the Royal British Legion and help us fundraise.”