A CAMPAIGN to collect poppies for a unique First World War memorial has smashed its yet another target.

Witney Town Council was aiming to collect 15,000 poppies ahead of a special event for the war’s centenary on November 11. After beating that the target was raised to 18,000 and has now had to be changed again to 20,000.

The highlight of the town’s Remembrance activities will be the ‘poppy mile’.

A walkway of handmade poppies will follow the route soldiers took when going off to war from the Corn Exchange, along Church Green and through the churchyard to The Leys, where a new memorial to mark the centenary will be unveiled and dedicated.

A spokesman for the council said: “Last week we walked the poppy tribute route to see where we would be siting the poppies along the way.

“We realised just how many it is going to take so we are very pleased to announce that we have broken through the new target of 18,000 and extended it to 20,000.

“We don’t think we can have too many.”

The council will host its first ‘attaching’ session in the Corn Exchange on Thursday, June 28, between 11am and 1pm.

Officers will be bringing along some camouflage netting so that work can be started to fix the poppies on to that.

All volunteers welcome.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

For more information on the plans or to find out how to get involved see bit.ly/2mJHOwL