A POIGNANT display of 1,000 handcrafted sunflowers will brighten up Poole Park next month.

Forest Holme Hospice have gained the permission of Borough of Poole to transform the park's rose garden into a sea of yellow flowers throughout September.

Each sunflower represents the life of one of the 1,000 people who are cared for by the staff at the hospice in Seldown Road each year.

The Sunflower Garden in Poole is being supported by Sainsbury's in Pitwines Close, who have chosen Forest Holme Hospice as their charity partner for 2016.

Kev Strowger, the supermarket's store manager, said: "We feel immensely proud to support this unique event and our staff will play an active role in planting the sunflowers on Thursday, September 1.

"Our customers have voted to support the hospice for two consecutive years and value the life enhancing work delivered by the team at Forest Holme."

The plastic sunflowers measure 35cm tall by 22cm wide and have been handmade by the Theatre Royal in Plymouth who played an integral part in the Tower of London poppy display.

It featured hundreds of thousands of ceramic flowers surrounding the Tower of London to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, which was visited by people from around the world.

Hannah Parsons, Fundraising Manager at Forest Holme Hospice Charity, said: "This is a unique way to show the impact Forest Holme has locally.

"The sunflowers are a visual representation of the 1,000 local people who receive specialist care from the team at Forest Holme Hospice each year.”

Forest Holme Hospice, which is part of the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, must raise £750,000 each year to continue providing specialist care for patients living with advanced cancer and other life limiting illnesses.

From the beginning of October, the sunflowers will be available to take away for £25 each. They can be pre-ordered in advance and if purchased before August 12, the buyer can have a loved one's name inscribed on a memorial board within the garden.

To reserve a sunflower, visit Sunflower-appeal.myshopify.com