An appeal has been made for information about the theft of four of the iconic giant poppies scattered around Bracknell.

The poppies, which have been a popular feature in the borough every November since 2013, were collected earlier this week to be stored away for the year, but of the 30 poppies which had been installed, four were missing with clear evidence that they had been stolen.

The poppies which have been stolen had been placed in Raeburn Way, Sandhurst, on the 3M Roundabout, in Foresters Way, and on the Bowland Drive/New Forest Ride roundabout.

They had been taken between Friday, November 4, and Tuesday, November 22.

Cllr Dorothy Hayes MBE, executive member for environmental services, said: “It is utterly shameful to steal items which are a simple memorial to those who gave their lives in armed conflicts. It is a crime against the Bracknell Forest community.

“The poppies had been firmly bolted into the ground and each one is six-foot-tall so each theft must have been planned, rather than spontaneous, which makes the theft all the more heinous.

“Someone, somewhere must know something about this. It would be very useful for people to point out to the council or the police when you remember last seeing the poppies before they were removed, so we can pin down more precisely when they were stolen.

" We are also reviewing our CCTV footage. Please call the police with any information so we can get these poppies back.”

Anyone with any information about the thefts is asked to call Thames Valley Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.