AN unusual tribute has been placed in Orsett's remembrance garden which hosts the village war memorial ahead of the weekend's wreath-laying event.

That will take place at the garden, opposite the Whitmore arms, on Saturday morning (13 November) – the first event in a series of tributes that will take place across the borough over the weekend.

A full list of the services, that also includes two ceremonies on Thursday, 11 November, is below.

The new figure at Orsett is the creation of Orsett WI, as committee member Sharon Larsen explains: "Last year the group contributed to a poppy display in Grays but we wanted to do something more local this year.

"Myself and my sister Julie Finch discussed it and had a vision of a women covered in poppies.

"After talking to our other WI craft ladies we decided she should be a 'nobody' and be all in black so we made a scarecrow body and dressed her in black and covered her in chicken wire so poppies could be attached with wool or ties.

"The head is polystyrene. We have all enjoyed making her. Those that don't knit have made plastic poppies from bottles. We hope people of Orsett and surrounding areas will see she is a good way of remembering loved ones lost."

Remembrance Services across the borough

Thursday 11 November – Armistice Day

10:45am War Memorial in the cemetery at St Mary's Church, High Road, North Stifford

10:30am War Memorial, Orsett

9am War Memorial, Rectory Road, Little Thurrock

9:15am War Memorial on the wall of St Michael's Church, Fobbing

10:30am Parade marches War Memorial, High Street, Grays

10:45am War Memorial on the wall of St Mary's Church, Corringham

10:45am War Memorial, Civic Square Tilbury

10:45am St Peter and St Paul Church, Orsett Road, Horndon on the Hill

10:55am Ardale War Memorial, Guardian Avenue, Stifford Green, North Stifford

2:45pm War Memorial on the wall in Kershaw Close, Chafford Hundred

Thurrock Nub News will be reporting on many of the services, including liveFacebook broadcasts from several of the events.