Mayor of Winchester, Cecily Sutton, this week stepped in to bolster support for the city's branch of the Royal British Legion, whose annual Poppy Appeal is facing a crisis.

The branch is desperately looking for an organiser to co-ordinate poppy sales following the resignation, after three years, because of work commitments, of Derek Green.

Mrs Sutton joined volunteers as they gathered outside her official residence, Abbey House, to publicise their dilemma. The Poppy Appeal in Winchester results in between £25,000 and £30,000 being raised.

"Without an organiser there won't be any collectors to go onto the street and there will be no poppies sold," said Karen Betancourt-Jess, the legion's county community fund-raiser.

"It's a crisis and a moral one, too. It would be disastrous for Winchester not to have any poppies."

The problem has arisen, in part, because the advancing years of many of the legion's active members in the city mean they can't always fulfill the its fund-raising commitments.

The organisation now wants to recruit from its younger ranks and is also asking members of the public to come forward to help in the county.

The role of Poppy Appeal organiser will involve arranging collectors, collating information and dealing with the banking of money.

It requires a good organiser with patience and a good local knowledge.

Mrs Sutton said: "It's vital to find someone. There are a lot of people with military connections in Winchester and there is a great need for younger people to be involved. Everyone knows what a poppy stands for and wants the opportunity to buy one. We just want to enable them to do so."

To volunteer as Winchester's Poppy Appeal organiser, call 023-80620900 or to become a collector, call 0800-085524.