Veterans, servicepeople and politicians gathered at a ceremony to mark the start of the poppy appeal.

Members of the armed forces, service veterans and representatives from the Gurkhas turned out for the service last Sunday, which included a parade accompanied by the Metropolitan Police Pipe Band, and finished with a service at Brookside Methodist Church, in East Barnet.

Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, attended the ceremony with the Royal British Legion’s East Barnet branch.

The Representative Deputy Lieutenant of Barnet, Martin Russell, and the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Hugh Rayner also attended.

Ms Villiers said: “It was great to be able to join the East Barnet branch of the Royal British Legion this afternoon as they marked the start of the annual Poppy Appeal.

"It was particularly poignant this year as we had the chance to commemorate the bravery of our Armed Forces on the day that 13 years of combat operations came to an end in Afghanistan.”