A regional daily has celebrated after a three-year campaign to bring a giant display of poppies to its patch became reality.

HTFP has previously reported how The Sentinel, Stoke, was calling for the ‘Weeping Window’ display to be brought to Stoke-on-Trent as part of a four-year tour of the UK after an initial snub by organisers.

The Sentinel sent a readers’ petition, along with a letter signed by 100 influential people on its patch, to organiser 14-18 Now after Stoke-on-Trent was left off the tour despite more than half of the ceramic flowers used in the display being made there.

Now the display has been installed at Middleport Pottery, where it will remain until 16 September.

The installation provided a splash for The Sentinel on Thursday.

Editor Martin Tideswell told HTFP: “Our readers, and our journalists, are incredibly proud of the city’s ceramic heritage and we were very keen to try to ensure the nationwide poppies tour came to Stoke-on-Trent – particularly as that is where the clay from and, crucially, hundreds of thousands of the poppies were handcrafted locally.

“Our petition was well-supported by readers and 100 local influencers – including MPs, business people and celebrities – signed our letter to 14-18 Now asking for the poppies tour to come to the Potteries. We worked with the city council, local businesses and did a lot of lobbying behind the scenes.

“Now the Weeping Window installation is here, in the magnificent heritage location of Middleport Pottery, it really does look magnificent. What’s more local people will get to see the poppies and the local economy is set to receive a shot in the arm worth an estimated £3.7 million.

“Championing our city is what The Sentinel and StokeonTrentLive does day-in, day-out, and it’s nice to see a campaign like this help to deliver such a positive result.”