Illustrations by Middlesex University students and staff inspired by stories and poetry from World War One have gone on display in central London.

The Poetry Café in Covent Garden is playing host to the gallery of 40 haunting and moving images by illustration students as part of plans to commemorate the beginning of World War One.

“The centenary of the First World War is an important milestone in our nation’s history and this exhibition presented a unique opportunity for our students to join in the commemorations,“ says senior lecturer in illustration Nancy Slonims.

“The inspiration for all of the images comes from the war poetry of Robert Graves as well as other stories from across the battlefields of Europe and tales from back home between 1914 and 1918.“

Framed original works and prints of the images will be available for sale, with all proceeds going towards funding the students’ degree show.

The exhibition is part of a series of events that Middlesex University is participating in to commemorate the war. These include music students who will perform at a concert at St Mary’s Church in Hendon, journalism students who are collating family stories or photogaphs from World War One and students who are illustrating police records from the World War One period for an exhibition in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, in August.