A RHYL youngster who lost his Royal Marine father has joined undercover celebrities on a “special mission” to launch this year’s Poppy Appeal.

Charlton Taylor, 10, and his mother Sonia Fleming, have lent a helping hand to the Royal British Legion and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) to launch the National Poppy Appeal in a covert operation named codenamed 'Operation Poppy’.

Charlton – who lost his father Lance Corporal Michael Taylor in 2010, while serving in Afghanistan, when he was just 10 months old – was joined at King’s Cross Station in London by former EastEnders actor and investigative journalist Ross Kemp for the launch of the campaign on Thursday, October 24.

Claire Rowcliffe, The Royal British Legion’s director of fundraising, said: “Our undercover celebrities and the puzzles are a fun and engaging way for the public to get involved in this year’s Poppy Appeal launch, but there is a serious message at its heart.

“Life for those in the Armed Forces community comes with a whole host of challenges and difficulties – from those that endure the daily sacrifice of being away from loved ones, to those carrying out roles that so often go unnoticed, such as at GCHQ.”

Operation Poppy, which sees celebrities hidden amongst the RBL’s 40,000 collectors, represents the first of many activities that will be taking place over the course of the 2019 Poppy Appeal in recognition of the unseen contributions of the Armed Forces, including the GCHQ.

During the Second World War, the GCHQ was instrumental in the Allied War effort, most famously known for its years at Bletchley Park, where ingenious minds broke enemy Enigma codes.

In the spirit of the codebreakers, Kemp - alongside other ‘undercover celebrities’ such as Ben Sheppard, Eddie Izzard and Rachel Riley - has teamed up with Charlton to shine a light on their fundraising endeavours and highlight how the money raised is being used to support serving and ex-serving personnel and their families.

However, this is not the first time Charlton, who sells poppies with mum to keep his father's memory alive, has been the face of a national campaign.

In 2018, the Ysgol Mair pupil was featured in John Lewis’s advert which took on Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. 

Ms Rowcliffe added:“This year is all about telling the hidden stories of our Armed Forces who provide an incredible service to our country in all kinds of ways, and telling the stories of the collectors who volunteer every year to show their support for them.

“Every Poppy Appeal collector has a unique story to tell so we’re asking the public to look out for them, make a donation and wear their poppy with pride.”

The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal takes place until Armistice Day on 11 November.