Thousands of volunteers are out collecting for the Royal British Legion's annual Poppy Day appeal at 70 stations across London.

The October 31 appeal highlights the mental scars that can be left after military service “which are not always visible”, the charity points out.

Some 2,500 volunteer collectors and Armed Forces personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force are handing out poppies and collecting donations at 70 Underground, DLR and main line stations as well as in offices and on the streets.

These help the Royal British Legion raise £1 million in a day to support members of the Armed Forces community who are in need.

London Poppy Day’s own British Legion ‘ambassador’ Ross Kemp is encouraging commuters to buy a poppy.

“Fewer people are travelling nowadays while working from home,” Ross said. “So we are asking people to make a special trip into town to help us achieve our £1 million target in a single day.

“The money will help the charity continue its work supporting members of the Armed Forces community in need.”

Military bands and choirs are performing at 15 major transport hubs. A specially-recorded Tannoy announcement features the voice of comedian Bill Bailey at Underground and DLR stations.

Wearing a poppy shows that the sacrifice of serving personnel, veterans and their families “will never be forgotten”, the charity adds.

The London Poppy Day campaign from 7am until 7pm on October 31 is now in its 18th year. It is a chance for the public to meet military personnel and veterans, in the biggest cash street collection of its kind in Europe.

Passers-by are being asked to donate their spare cash or use their debit cards with more contactless terminals at stations than last year.

The Legion is the UKs largest charity supporting the needs of Armed Forces men and women, past and present, and their families. It champions Remembrance.

The tradition of using the red poppy for the annual appeals began after the First World War when the guns fell silent in 1918 on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month as poppies began to appear in many battlefields on the Western Front.