POPPY Appeal organisers across the district are celebrating a record-breaking year.

More cash was raised in last year's appeal than has ever been collected before in the Bradford district, according to the Royal British Legion.

A total of £206,508 was raised in 2014, a £30,000 rise on the year before.

The veterans' charity believes the publicity surrounding the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One is behind the huge boost.

Bradford Poppy Appeal organiser Barbara Allsopp said all the volunteers had done a fantastic job.

She said: "I'm chuffed to bits. They have all worked extremely hard this year."

And she thanked "all the citizens of Bradford, who are the most generous people out there".

The Bradford Central branch raised nearly £80,000, its biggest ever total. Similar increases were enjoyed by branches across the district's other towns and villages.

Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Roger L'Amie, welcomed the news that donations were up.

Cllr L'Amie also serves as the chairman of Baildon Royal British Legion, and heads up its Poppy Appeal.

The Baildon branch gathered a record-breaking amount last year, raising £8,443 in total.

Cllr L'Amie said: "It's the best total we have had. I think last year we got somewhere like £7,300 to £7,500. I think there has been a bit of a World War One effect."

Cllr L'Amie invited his fellow volunteers in the Baildon branch to enjoy an afternoon tea in City Hall as his way of saying thank-you for all the hours they had put in selling poppies and raising money.

He said: "These people have given, over the last few years, quite a lot of their time."

The group enjoyed tea and cakes before being given a tour of the Grade I listed landmark.

Among the party was 71-year-old Tony Stacey, whose father, Samuel Midgley Stacey, was killed in the Second World War.

He had served with the Royal Artillery in the Second World War as they pushed through Italy following the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944.

Mr Stacey, a retired engineer, said: "I was born in 1943 and my father was killed in 1944."

Mr Stacey said modern-day conflicts had also helped to drive up interest in the work of the Royal British Legion.

He said: "With these new conflicts, a lot of young people are interested, which is a good thing."

Also at the event was 81-year-old retired buyer Paul Dickinson, an ex-president of the Baildon branch of the Royal British Legion.

He said the interest in the centenary had helped to boost donations.

"There was an awful lot of publicity, wasn't there," he said.