Richmond Council has moved to assure users of a park where a field of poppies was planted in the spring that the flowers have not been deliberately destroyed before Armistice Day.

While the nation commemorated those who laid down their lives for our freedom this week, one dog walker was left shocked to see the poppy display in North Sheen Recreation Ground had seemingly been removed.

Peter Hart, a Friends of North Sheen Recreation Ground committee member, said: "It was one of many memorials planted in the borough as part of World War One commemorations.

"I was a bit surprised when I saw they had been cut down to the stems before November 11."

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Empty: Richmond Council say the flowers were removed as part of normal practice in wildflower management

A council spokeswoman explained the display flowered early in the summer but very few of the plants remained in flower into the autumn.

She said: "Normal practice in wildflower management is to cut back the dead stems, etc, in autumn to prepare for the regrowth next summer.

"This work however was not done last weekend as suggested by the resident. It was done two weeks ago."

The poppy meadows are part of a council scheme to plant the red flowers each year at various sites across the borough until 2018.

Other meadows include Hampton Common, Whitton's Murray Park, Manor Road Rec in Teddington, Mortlake Green and Old Deer Park in Richmond.