Residents of Bramford are building up a photographic memory of their favourite poppy field in the weeks before it is ploughed up to become a new housing development.

Final planning permission for 115 new homes to be built on the field was granted last week and villagers have accepted there is nothing they can now do to stop the work.

There still has to be an archaeological dig on a small part of the site and nothing can happen until the end of the breeding season because of the danger of disturbing nesting skylarks - but Hopkins Homes are expected to start building work later this year.

This year the poppies on the field have been spectacular and local resident Rachel Burrows has asked villagers to take pictures and record them on the village hub Facebook page to remember the field once it has been developed.

She contributed this picture of her dog Homer jumping through the poppies and the field is also popular with horse riders who want to avoid nearby busy roads.

"So many people are sad to be losing such a lovely area - and the poppies this year are wonderful," she said.

Bramford Parish Councillor Caroline Wolton said: "We have been trying to block this application for three years but it has gone through now and we have to accept that.

"There have been changes - it is 115 homes instead of the original plan for 170 and there is a large green area in the middle. There are also environmental measures in the new development.

"It's better than it was but it's not what we wanted - for the field to remain as it is."

When the application was approved Chris Smith from Hopkins Homes said: "There are substantial benefits to the community, including significant financial contributions towards early years education provision and highways and transport improvement schemes for the area.

“In addition, large areas of new public open green space will be supplied, along with a play area.”