A MUCH-loved poppy seller is reassuring his regulars that he is ‘perfectly well’ after concern was raised over his absence during the Poppy Appeal this year.

Ray Payne, a dedicated British legion volunteer for Urmston, has been selling Remembrance Day poppies for the past 58 years.

When the 68-year-old wasn’t seen at his usual spot at Eden Square during the Poppy Appeal or at the cenotaph in Davyhulme on Remembrance Day, many became worried about him and were keen to find out he was ok.

But the Messenger tracked Ray down this week and the beloved fundraiser said he was absolutely fine.

“I want to thank all my customers, I am perfectly ok,” said Ray, who started selling poppies as a child.

“I am not on poppies anymore. After 58 years, they have decided to get somebody else. I usually take in £1,000 on the Sunday, I thought, ‘oh there is going to be aggro, everybody is going to be wanting a poppy’, but I have been told they are standing me down.”

Ray is known affectionately as Oscar to his poppy supporters.