Final ceramic poppy placed in Derbyshire artist Paul Cummins’ ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ installation at Tower of London

Artist Paul Cummins hands the final poppy to be planted to Cadet Harry Hayes, 13. Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

The final poppy has been planted at the Tower of London today, completing ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’, the ceramic art installation created by Derbyshire artist, Paul Cummins.

Paul handed the final poppy to 13-year-old Army cadet Harry Hayes, who planted it in the moat at the Tower just before 11am today (Tuesday).

The artwork, which now consists of 888,246 ceramic poppies, one for each British and Colonial fatality during the war, was chosen as the country’s lead project to mark the 100th anniversary year of the outbreak of the First World War.

The installation has been visited by royalty, including the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and photographed from on board the Mir space station.

Paul graduated in 2010 with a BA (Hons) Craft degree and is now undertaking a PhD at the University of Derby.