A WOMAN who has sold poppies for more than 65 years has helped launch this year’s Poppy Appeal in her home town.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the death of George Richardson, who died in a road accident on a British Army base during the Second World War.

His death left his wife, Annie, to bring up his daughter, Vera, her sister and two brothers on her own in the village of Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham.

Mrs Richardson helped launch the women’s section of the Royal British Legion and sold poppies with the help of her children.

Now 73, Vera Parnaby is organiser of the Consett and District Poppy Appeal.

She said: “The legion helps people who have lost loved ones serving in the Armed Forces, and my mother did it to help those people. That is the way I was brought up.

“It is something I have done since I was a little girl.”

Mrs Parnaby, who has three children and two grandchildren, lives with her husband, Alan, in Durham Road, Blackhill, near Consett.

Mrs Parnaby said: “Remembrance Day is still relevant today because of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. But I am now looking for someone who can take over from me because you never know what is going to happen in life.”

A Festival of Remembrance will be held in the Empire Theatre, Consett, from 7pm on Saturday, compered by Pat Boustead and featuring local theatre groups such as CBS and the Phoenix Youth Choir.

Tickets are £5 at the door.