Remembrance display on New Hey Road in East Bowling

The garden on New Hey Road in East Bowling was first created in the summer holidays of 2023 by volunteers living nearby, and different displays are created for different times of the year.

A stunning display has now been created at the Next Generation GDN, as it is known, for Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day. 

A spokesperson said: "The display has taken nearly a year to make. 

Wendy Allison tends to the garden (Image: Newsquest) "The poppies have been made from plastic pop bottles - the lovely community of East Bowling rose to the challenge.

"The team has cut and painted them - we have made one thousand poppies - 500 red and 500 purple.

"The purple ones represent the animals that were lost in all conflicts."

The display has taken nearly one year to create (Image: Newsquest) The spokesperson added: "We all need to show respect for those who have given their lives for us. 

"We also need to respect the animals too."

The display recognises Simon the cat, who was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal in 1949. 

The Next Generation GDN (Image: Newsquest) In the summer of 1949, at the height of the Chinese Civil War, HMS Amethyst came under People’s Liberation Army artillery fire while cruising along the Yangtze River.

The ship and crew members left on board ended up stranded in mid-river for almost 10 weeks.

"Hot, humid conditions were the perfect breeding ground for a rat infestation, the says the PDSA. 

"The already limited food supplies were in danger of being completely destroyed.

"Despite shrapnel wounds to his legs and burns to his back and face, Simon was all that stood between the rats and the crew’s essential supplies."