Poppies put up at Surbiton station have been taken down for “safety reasons”.

South West Trains removed the flowers to stop train drivers muddling red signalling lights and large poppies along the platforms.

Confused commuters took to Twitter to ask the rail operator what had happened to the red flowers fixed on pillars running the length of the platforms yesterday. The memorial flowers had only been up for a short time.

The poppies that aim to remember those who have died in combat were paid for and put up by South West Trains.

Perhaps predicting what would happen when they were first attached, Mr Dundridge on Twitter said: "Brave move what SWT have done putting big red poppies on platform pillars at Surbiton, although hope there's no signal sighting issues."

The flowers were said to have been removed by Monday evening.

South West Trains tweeted: "These have been removed to avoid any confusion with red signals believe it or not! We'll be keeping them away from platforms."

Poppies at Clapham Junction station were also reported by commuters to have been removed on Monday afternoon.

A spokesman for South West Trains said some poppies at Surbiton station were put in the wrong place. He confirmed by Tuesday afternoon that a number had already been put back up, but in the booking hall and ticket office windows.