'More important than ever to remember'

The first ceramic poppies have been put in place for a new art installation set to mark the sacrifices of war ahead of VE Day. There is also a Stoke-on-Trent connection to the original installation viewed by millions...

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THE first of 30,000 ceremonial poppies has been put in place as Britain begins the countdown to VE Day.

The Tower of London is creating a stunning new installation using those from the acclaimed 2014 artwork Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red which saw the historic fortress encircled in a sea of red and which was visited by more than five million people.

Half of the 800,000 poppies were made at Johnson Tiles, in Tunstall.

The poppies later went on display in Stoke-on-Trent following a Sentinel campaign.