THE centenary of the end of the First World War is set to be marked in a novel way across five market towns.

Residents of Hambleton district will be challenged to find all the cardboard figures in Soldier Trails in Northallerton, Thirsk, Stokesley, Bedale and Easingwold from October to solve a puzzle.

Each market town will display 20 of the cardboard soldiers, produced and decorated by community groups such day centres, schools play groups and disability groups.

The decorated soldiers will be given a letter and put on show in shops and community buildings.

Residents will be set a challenge to find all 20 soldiers in their town, noting each letter and then crack the anagram to spell out a phrase related to the First World War.

Postcards will be available for people to write their answer on to enter a competition for a small prize.

A Hambleton District Council spokesman said the project had been designed to provide an opportunity for a wide range of people to get involved in the centenary commemoration.

Meanwhile, the authority has asked artists have been asked to submit their ideas for a piece of public art related to the conflict that could be displayed at the Civic Centre.

They have suggested the creation of three contemporary bi-planes, for example, the Sopwith Camel, made from wicker and suspended from the ceiling.

The total cost of both projects will be £2,500.

Councillor Bridget Fortune, the council’s leisure boss, told a meeting of the council’s cabinet: “The financial implications are quite minimal when you think of the impact that this will make for this very worthwhile event.”

An officers’ report to the meeting stated the probability of the council being viewed negatively if it did not mark the event was quite high.

The authority’s leader, Councillor Mark Robson, said: “This is about commemorating what happened 100 years ago and to ensure that nobody ever forgets what happened.”