Record numbers visit Tower poppies at Sculpture Park

Wave, part of the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation that drew an estimated five million visitors to the Tower of London last year, opened at the West Bretton Park on Saturday.

The poppies, which originally formed an arch over the entrance to the Tower, were painstakingly installed in and around the lower lake and bridge.

The original installation ran at the Tower from August to November 2014, where 888,246 poppies were displayed, one to honour every death in the British and Colonial forces of the First World War.

Director of Development and Communications at YSP Andy Carver said: “The response to Poppies: Wave at YSP has been phenomenal, with record-breaking visitor numbers over the opening weekend.

“Visitors are really embracing the opportunity to see part of the original display from the Tower of London in a new and contemplative setting.”

Over the weekend, some visitors took to Twitter to voice frustrations with parking, tweeting that car parks were full or they faced long waits to pay.

YSP said it had recently introduced a new online payment service that allowed visitors to pay for car parking up to 48 hours after their visit. But it is recommending that visitors hoping to see the installation visit through the week to avoid queues.

Mr Carver added: “In order to enjoy the best and most peaceful experience of the artwork we highly recommend that, where possible, people visit the Park on a weekday rather than at weekends.”

Last year more than 400,000 people visited YSP - the highest number in its 37-year history. This weekend’s visitor numbers represent 5 per cent of that figure.

Wave is at YSP until January.