Giant poppy made by 1,400 GCHQ intelligence agency staff

More than 1,400 intelligence agency staff have created a giant poppy in the centre of the GCHQ "doughnut' building in Cheltenham.

Staff, dressed in red rain ponchos, marked the launch of the Royal British Legion's Gloucestershire poppy appeal by forming the 38m (125ft) poppy.

The 1,308 civilian staff were joined by black-uniformed Royal Navy personnel, who made up the centre of the poppy, and military personnel who created the 28m-long (92ft)stalk.

A GCHQ spokesperson said: "Thanks to military planning and some loud hailers, it took just over an hour to get everyone into position."

The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is one of the three UK intelligence and security agencies, alongside MI5 and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).