THE Press Camera Club’s recent entry - the carpet of poppies - brings back vivid memories of my childhood in York during the war years.

One could earn a penny or two not only from the potato harvesting season, but there was a period of time when poppy picking became an added bonus, providing permission was granted by the farmer.

At such a tender age I was not privy to this, but there was an urgent need from the medical profession and within government circles.

There were life-saving qualities which could be extracted to save lives of casualties both from our fighting forces and civilian population during their darkest hour.

The main collection point, St Leonard’s Place, is now turned into flats.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York