THE haunting melody of the Last Post echoed around a school courtyard as staff and students paid their own moving tribute to the war dead - by creating a spectacular field of remembrance.

Months of work went into the poignant art installation composed of 1,250 ceramic poppies, many featuring messages dedicated to family injured and killed in conflicts around the world.

Students at Risedale Sports and Community College, Hipswell, Catterick Garrison, were joined by community and Army dignitaries for a special service of remembrance, the culmination of Poppy Project 2015.

The idea of school service children advocates Helen Porritt and Ewan Thomson, the project recreated the celebrated Sea of Poppies at the Tower of London.

The school’s ceramicist Sheila Plews, together with Helen and Ewan, developed a prototype poppy which was then individually crafted by students from Risedale and a host of other local schools and organisations.

These included Hipswell, Le Cateau, Hunton and Arrathorne primary schools, Mowbray School, the Dales School, the Young at Heart Club in Colburn, the Green Howards Association, Hanson Sports and Social Club and the Hunton Steam Gathering.

Vicar of Hipswell the Reverend Andrew Cromarty conducted a service of remembrance and the Last Post and Reveille was played by army bugler Lance Sergeant Tony Oliver, a Coldstream Guard serving with the drum wing of the Army School Ceremonial.

All the poppies have already been sold, raising £5,000 for the Royal British Legion. A cheque was handed over to RBL county chairman Elwyn Pickering. Orders have been received from as far away as New Zealand and Brazil.

Mr Pickering said: “This is absolutely fabulous. Our injured soldiers will need decades of support and I was stunned when I saw the sea of poppies. It means everything to see such a tribute.”

Mrs Porritt said: “Almost half of our students are from forces families and another 25 per cent are ex-military so the Royal British Legion is a cause very close to our hearts.

“An incredible amount of hard work has gone into this project but one glance at our sea of poppies shows it has been worthwhile.”

Catterick Garrison commander Lt Col Mark Steed added: “Military operations over the past ten years have brought home the significance of Remembrance Day and I think Risedale’s sea of poppies is an incredible tribute to the sacrifice of servicemen and an example of the close links that exist between the community and the Forces.”