THE Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will no doubt revceive a welcome boost this year now the latest Dawlish Poppy badges have gone on sale.

Since his first in 2015, RBL member and Ex-Royal Navy man Richard Hayward has normally designed the badges which incorporate some aspect of Dawlish, but this year, for a change, Richard has a collaborator.

He approached Gatehouse Primary Academy and asked pupils to design their own badge for a special competition. The winning design was created by Ella Langley, aged six, and combines poppies alongside one of the famous Dawlish black swans.

Richard has now made 500 of the new badges which will be going on sale around the town.

The first ones are available at Puzzles sweet shop, Shooters in Sandy Lane, and Presents of Dawlish, with further outlets in the pipeline.

Once this first batch is sold another will follow.

Last week Richard visited the school to present Ella with the framed original design alongside one of the first badges and a brass plaque naming her the winner.

She and Richard were sporting polo shirts embroidered with the winning design, which will also be on sale.

► Richard can be contacted through the Dawlish Gazette if anyone wants one of the shirts.