SOLDIERS abseiled 80ft through a cascade of poppies at a Southampton shopping centre at the launch of the city’s poppy appeal.

Families and shoppers stopped to watch three members of the armed forces abseil their way down ropes in the middle of WestQuay Shopping Centre.

Wearing Poppy Appeal T-shirts Corporal Stefan Houston, Sergeant Danny Field and Sergeant Major John Toogood of 10 training battalion of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers slid down ropes on to the floor of the centre.

After landing at the bottom they handed Southampton City Mayor Councillor Sue Blatchford the first poppy.

Parents Emma and Rob Pullen were with their family to see the event and stood amongst the crowds as the soldiers came into the mall.

Emma said: “Everyone was clapping and cheering. The petals were falling through the air and the children loved it.”

Last year Southampton’s Poppy Appeal managed to raise £63,000, while the county raised nearly £1.4 million.

This year’s Poppy Appeal is in the year of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

Chairman of the Hampshire Royal British Legion Bill Bates said it was great to see the community getting involved in the campaign.

He said: “It’s a brilliant turnout. Today has been fantastic. The response we get from the public is tremendous.”