TWO of Gwent’s oldest veterans were selling poppies at a Newport supermarket yesterday to mark the launch of the Royal British Legion’s 2016 Gwent Poppy Appeal.

Former serviceman Gerald Carter, aged 82, and former prisoner of war and Auschwitz survivor Ron Jones, were selling the poppies at Spytty’s Tesco superstore on Thursday from 11am onwards.

Mr Carter has been selling poppies for 40 years and was the first customer at the superstore when it opened in October 2011. He will be on duty throughout the two weeks of the Poppy Appeal.

Poppy Appeal organiser Mike Jones said: “We would like to thank Tesco manager Carly Rogers and Store Community Champion Vicky Gallagher, who served for 15 years in the RAF, for their assistance and enthusiasm with the Poppy Appeal and for hosting this year’s launch.

"We hope everyone will wear their poppies with pride.

"In the last year the generosity of the British public helped the Legion answer more than 780,000 requests for help.

"The Legion uses donations to offer support in many ways including providing crisis grants, researching the impact of blast injuries on the body, lobbying the government on key issues, and advising on benefits and money problems."

The Mayor of Newport, Councillor David Atwell accompanied by his wife Mayoress Carole Atwell, bought the first poppy in Gwent from Mr Carter to launch the appeal.

As part of the launch, Gwent’s own Poppy Man affectionately named Tommy Atkins was unveiled.

Tommy Atkins has been made by Legion members Terry and Pam Young, who took 10 days and used more than 1500 poppies to complete.

Representatives from Coleg Gwent were also be present with some of the mild steel poppies made by the students in the welding course as part of their Welsh Baccalaureate.

They have made 141 in total commemorating each day of the Battle of the Somme. These have been donated to the British Legion and will be on sale.

The launch included an Act of Remembrance, followed by a two minutes silence involving the Standards of Gwent County and other Service Associations. The Legion’s Gwent County President Lt Colonel Mike Harry (Retd) will lead the exhortation.