The city council is bidding to bring the spectacular and moving Tower of London poppy installation to Canterbury.

Part of the stunning exhibition is to go on a national tour when it is dismantled and it is hoped the city will be a chosen venue.

The art installation, designed by Paul Cummins, is called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red and features 888,246 ceramic poppies planted in the tower moat, representing the life of every British military fatality of the Great War.

City council spokesman Rob Davies said: “Nobody can fail to be moved by the spectacular site of the poppies at the Tower of London.

“We would like it to come to Canterbury during the national tour if possible.

“It appears to be very early days in this process, but we will be making inquiries about this and discussing where it could go on display.”

The exhibition has attracted millions of visitors but was due to be dismantled earlier this week.

Every poppy has been sold for £25 to raise money for service charities.

Two metalwork sections of the installation –The Weeping Window and The Wave – will tour the country at chosen sites over the next four years and then have a permanent home at the Imperial War Museum.

The exhibit would be welcome at Canterbury Cathedral, says spokesman Christopher Robinson.

He said: “We have the Kent war memorial in the grounds and it would seem to be an appropriate place for it because presumably it also needs to be afforded some security.”