A CALL to arms has been issued to help create a work of art in memory of those who died in the First World War.

The Dorset County Council have asked crafters to help make 75,000 poppies – each representing 10 British soldiers killed in the war - to be woven into the piece in Weymouth Library.

The installation was inspired by the iconic sea of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London in 2014.

It will depict horses drinking from a waterfall in the centre of the building.

A partnership between the Dorset County Council, Weymouth and Portland Borough, the Let’s Make It community group and the Royal British Legion is working together to see it become a reality.

People from Dorset can make their own poppies out of virtually any material, as long as it’s red, from home or in special workshops at the Weymouth Library.

Julie Hursthouse, the project manager of the Lets Make It group, was the brains behind the idea for a commemorative piece of art.

She said: “It came about because we used to make the knitted and crocheted poppies for the British Legion.

“Over eight years, we raised over £8000 for them.”

But last year they were running at a considerable surplus and Mrs Hursthouse had to tell the legion that they would no longer produce the poppies.

She added: “After that, they were a bit upset and I wanted to do something commemorative and spoke to people, trying to think of a cheap and easy way.

“I went back to the council and said: ‘like the Tower of London but not out of ceramic’.

“We then came up with lots of different ideas that didn’t cost a lot of money.”

One of these ideas was the horses gathered around the waterfall; horses were chosen for their role in the war and the waterfall as a link to the piece's inspiration.

Mrs Hursthouse said: “The waterfall idea for the centre of the instillation goes directly back to the Tower of London.

“I remember people saying to me at the time: ‘I can’t get the Tower of London feeling out of my mind.’”

It is hoped that the finished installation will be on display in Weymouth Library in October and November, around Armistice Day.

After that, it will tour various public locations around Dorset – depending on how easily it can travel once it is completed.

The next workshops are in the Weymouth Library on April 5, April 12 and May 3, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.