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| Mayor makes Tower of London poppy display appeal | Mayor makes Tower of London poppy display appeal |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| London's mayor has called for a field of ceramic poppies to remain at the Tower of London beyond Armistice Day. | |
| Boris Johnson said the popularity of the exhibition, in memory of Britain's war dead, meant he wanted to explore if it could be kept at the site for longer than originally planned. | |
| The Royal British Legion has said it hopes the sale of the poppies will raise in excess of £15m. | |
| The installation is currently scheduled to be dismantled on 12 November. | |
| Entitled Blood Swept Lands And Seas Of Red, it is the work of ceramic artist Paul Cummins. | |
| Up to four million people are expected to have visited before that date, when there will be 888,246 ceramic poppies, one for each British and colonial death during World War One. | |
| Mr Johnson said: "The poppy field at the Tower is a unique and poignant focus of remembrance in this centenary year. | Mr Johnson said: "The poppy field at the Tower is a unique and poignant focus of remembrance in this centenary year. |
| "It has grown rapidly in popularity, to such an extent that it is now a global visitor attraction. | "It has grown rapidly in popularity, to such an extent that it is now a global visitor attraction. |
| "I'm keen to explore whether we can keep the exhibition open for longer, to give as many people as possible the chance to glimpse something so incredible." | "I'm keen to explore whether we can keep the exhibition open for longer, to give as many people as possible the chance to glimpse something so incredible." |
| A spokeswoman for the mayor said he was in discussion with Historic Royal Palaces, the agency which runs the Tower of London, about extending the exhibition for a further week. | A spokeswoman for the mayor said he was in discussion with Historic Royal Palaces, the agency which runs the Tower of London, about extending the exhibition for a further week. |
| But Historic Royal Palaces said it was always the intention to begin sending the poppies - which have been sold for charity - to their new owners after Armistice Day on 11 November. | But Historic Royal Palaces said it was always the intention to begin sending the poppies - which have been sold for charity - to their new owners after Armistice Day on 11 November. |
| "We have been overwhelmed by the support from the public for our installation of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London," a spokeswoman said. | "We have been overwhelmed by the support from the public for our installation of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London," a spokeswoman said. |
| "It has always been intended the poppies will be in place until 11 November and after this time they will be cleaned and sent out to all those that have purchased them." | "It has always been intended the poppies will be in place until 11 November and after this time they will be cleaned and sent out to all those that have purchased them." |
| In Parliament, Prime Minister David Cameron said the number of people who had been to see the poppy display was "truly extraordinary" and something the "country could be very proud of". | |