Hundreds of wildflowers to be planted on verge

Nearly 1,000 wildflowers will be planted on Wednesday

A Shropshire village is set to plant nearly 1,000 wildflowers on a verge to "re-wild" part of a road.

The event, dubbed the "Big Plant Out", will see hundreds of volunteers, children and teachers get to work on Newport Road, Albrighton.

Its aim is that the green space, which is at the entrance to the village, will boost local biodiversity, climate and mental health and wellbeing.

The Big Plant Out, on 28 May, is the culmination of the Albrighton Verge Project, which had been led by the 1st Albrighton Scout Group and the village's two local schools.

To prepare, the children have been growing their seeds in advance, ready to put them straight into the ground on Wednesday.

The verge project was granted permission from Shropshire Highways to adopt the verge and received backing from Albrighton and Donington Parish Council.

The aim is to boost biodiversity and help with mental health and wellbeing

Once the "Big Plant" is completed, "no mow" signs will be installed in the area to encourage the plant life cycle to be preserved.

"Road verges offer a real opportunity to help reverse this loss and if managed correctly, they could form long, linear meadows, providing habitat in themselves," said Rachel Wild, from the scout group.

"Albrighton has lots of these verges, so we thought: 'Let's bring the community together and try to do something about it'.

"This will create a striking entrance to Albrighton, but more importantly will support pollinators, invertebrates, birds and mammals."