A MODEL soldier covered in paper mache extracts of First World War poetry has been created to mark the launch of this year’s Houghton Feast.

Mark Burns Cassell, who lives in Houghton, was commissioned to create the installation, as a key element of this year’s community event.

The completed installation will be unveiled on stage at the opening ceremony on Friday.

The piece, titled A Foreign Field, is made from plaster and covered entirely in extracts from poetry from the trenches.

Mr Cassell worked with schools and community groups to create ceramic poppies, which will be secured to barbed wires, and placed around the soldier’s feet, up his legs and up the rifle stock.

The poppies will all be inscribed with the names of people and families from the local area, past and present.

Mr Cassell said: “I’ve been really pleased with the response from the local councillors and all of the schools and community groups I’ve worked with on this piece.

“Everyone has been very enthusiastic and willing to try something new when creating the poppies.

“They are a key feature on the installation and the fact they have been made by local people, to signify the sacrifices made by other local people 100 years ago is very special.”

Houghton Feast, which dates back to the 12th Century with the traditional ox-roasting back to the 16th century, opens with an evening of music, theatre and lights with its official launch event on Friday.

This year’s ten day event adopts a commemorative theme around the centenary of the First World War and covers a range of traditional and modern activities for everyone to enjoy.

After the opening ceremony, the installation will be displayed in the ground floor window of Houghton Library on Newbottle Street, throughout the Feast, and until early 2015.