HUNDREDS of poppies have been appearing across Caerphilly county borough in the past few weeks thanks to villagers.

In the run up to this year’s Poppy Appeal, giant poppies have been donned in villages including Cross Keys, Risca and Cwmcarn.

The idea came from a woman in Pontywaun – who thought it would help raise awareness of the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Sunday.

Sharon Reader said members of the community came together to make the giant poppies which are dotted around on signs and lampposts. And as well as the giant poppies, there are the “silent soldier” silhouettes, being sold by the poppy appeal this year.

Ms Reader, 47, said: “I got the idea for the poppies after I took my daughter to a dancing event in the Surrey

area and saw poppies there. So I decided to do it here last year and the whole community got involved.”

Ms Reader said other towns and villages have got local businesses involved – but as Pontywaun does not have many businesses most of the work and fundraising was down to individuals in the community.

She said: “Individuals have sponsored a poppy for £5 and there are hundreds of them. I think it’s absolutely fantastic – people from other villages have been in touch to ask if they can do something similar and it has spread so far.

“People have even stopped their cars when going through the village to take pictures. This has definitely put Pontywaun on the map.”

Local filmmaker Alan Terrell has created a five minute documentary of the Pontywaun Poppies.

To watch the documentary, visit youtube.com/watch?v=gLkzGmJsxf4