Statues of First World War "Tommies" are to be placed at locations around Solihull to mark 100 years since the end of the global conflict.

The metal silhouettes are to take up positions at the War Memorial, in Robin Hood Cemetery, at Woodlands Cemetery and in Shirley Park.

The Tommies - which depict a serviceman with helmet, pack and rifle, a poppy pinned to his chest - form part of a national remembrance campaign, which aims to raise £15 million for armed forces and mental health charities.

Solihull Council has said that the "planting" of the statues will be marked with special ceremonies in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday.

An iconic 6ft Tommy statue at the White Cliffs of Dover.
An iconic 6ft Tommy statue at the White Cliffs of Dover.

Similar Tommies have already appeared at some of Britain's most famous landmarks over the course of the past few months, including the Tower of London and the Giant's Causeway, in Northern Ireland.

The local authority has confirmed that the arrival of the statues at the three locations will form part of a programme of events to coincide with the centenary of Armistice Day.

On November 11 itself, there will be bellringing at churches around the borough and in the evening a beacon will be lit in Elmdon Park.

The events of the next few weeks follow four years of commemorations in Solihull.

The Solihull Remembers project has seen hundreds of articles posted to an online blog, talking about those who gave their lives in the conflict.

Speaking during the summer, Tracey Williams, from the council's heritage and local studies service, said that the research had uncovered the stories behind the names on war memorials.

"We're properly remembering them as people and members of the community," she said.

There have also been a number of events at the CTC Kingshurst Academy, where a replica trench has been dug in the school grounds. These included an exhibition to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the infamous Battle of the Somme.