More than 22,000 poppy petals will provide the backdrop for Great Western Railway's (GWR) fifth annual Poppies to Paddington operation on Armistice Day.

The display, made up of 22,442 cascading poppy petals, will be set up at Paddington station on Monday, November 11.

The petals have been recycled from wreaths collected during previous Poppies to Paddington ceremonies and will be draped from balconies beside the war memorial on Platform 1.

They represent the number of service personnel under British command who died during D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in 1944.

Poppies to Paddington will see 10 GWR services, one of which will pass through Oxford, carrying hundreds of wreaths from communities across the network.

Upon their arrival in London, the wreaths will be placed at the war memorial ahead of a Service of Remembrance at 10.45am.

Among those attending the service will be Margot Billinge, daughter of D-Day veteran and Normandy Memorial Trust fundraising hero Harry Billinge, who passed away in 2022.

As well as marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Poppies to Paddington will also celebrate GWR’s partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which is marking its 200th anniversary this year.

RNLI chief executive, Peter Sparkes, said: "We are deeply honoured to be part of the Poppies to Paddington service this year.

"With so many of our lifeboat stations and inland fundraising branches located along the GWR network, it’s a fitting way for our volunteers to participate in this national act of remembrance alongside the armed forces.

RNLI representatives Dave Nicoll and Gaynor Williams (left) with sleeper lounge host Joe Lorusso, and members of the Penlee Lifeboat crewRNLI representatives Dave Nicoll and Gaynor Williams (left) with sleeper lounge host Joe Lorusso, and members of the Penlee Lifeboat crew (Image: Phil Monckton) “The wreaths placed onboard will represent our RNLI communities who save lives at sea, honouring those crew who have made the ultimate sacrifice over the past 200 years of the RNLI, including World War One and Two.”

RNLI volunteers from across the GWR network will join the operation by placing commemorative wreaths on board early-morning services on November 11 at 90 stations along the route.

The wreaths will be accompanied by RNLI military veterans Simon Jeffery, coxswain at Plymouth RNLI, and Tony Rendle, mechanic at Penlee RNLI, who will both attend the service at Paddington.

GWR operations director, Richard Rowland, said: "We were really proud to partner with the RNLI earlier this year as part of its celebrations marking 200 years of saving lives at sea and it’s wonderful they’ll be supporting our fifth Poppies to Paddington operation.

"Poppies to Paddington will involve 10 train services covering the length and breadth of the Great Western network, including the use of our Night Riviera sleeper service from Penzance for the first time, and it promises to be another poignant occasion at London Paddington."