UK's largest tulip fields open to public to help Norfolk hospice

People have celebrated being out of lockdown by surrounding themselves in a blaze of colour as the UK's largest commercial grower of outdoor tulips has opened its fields to the public for the first time.

Belmont Nurseries, based near King's Lynn in Norfolk, has made the move to help support The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House, external with about 4,500 tickets for the 12-day fundraising event sold out within days.

The hospice cares for adults with life-shortening illnesses, enabling them to live life as well as possible for as long as possible.

Lyndsay Carter, chief executive at The Norfolk Hospice, said: "We are thrilled... for this fantastic opportunity to raise much-needed funds after such a challenging year."

The flowers, from the nursery, are grown as a bulb crop.

This means they will never make it to a vase - they are beheaded to ensure the bulbs are strong enough to "force" flowers to grow under glass out-of-season to supply supermarkets.