PEOPLE visiting war graves this year to mark the centenary of the First World War can take wooden crosses and wreathes with them courtesy of the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

Members of the Pickering and Thornton-le-Dale branch of the legion are encouraging people to take advantage of the service, where they can choose their own wreath or wooden cross to take with them as they visit war graves of those who died during the First and Second World Wars.

Secretary of the group Margaret Atkinson said the Pickering and Thornton branch has so far agreed to supply wreaths and crosses to a group of ex-forces members.

“A group of ex-forces people will be going to visit four graves and at the moment they are still planning their route,” she said.

“We’ve had someone take one of our wreathes to a concentration camp. We also have someone who is going to place a posy of ours at a war memorial in Johannesburg, in June, to recognise what the South African forces did for us during the Boer War.”

Margaret said the group also wanted people to get in contact if they had noticed any neglected graves which needed attending to.

She said: “If anyone knows of any neglected graves in the area that need attention please let us know so we can give them the attention they need.”

To order a wreath or contact the Pickering and Thornton-le-Dale branch of the legion, visit the headquarters in Champley’s Yard, Pickering, on a Monday or Saturday