Wisbech 'grot spot' daffodils stolen 'on industrial scale'

Volunteers were hoping to see a blaze of yellow blooms by now but instead were left with cut stalks

Thousands of daffodils planted by volunteers to cheer up a town's "grot spot" have been stolen.

Wisbech Street Pride volunteer Alan Wheeldon said 20,000 mixed bulbs were planted last year on Octavia Way in the Cambridgeshire town.

On Tuesday he discovered the daffodil blooms had been picked "on an industrial scale".

"The walk should be a blaze of colour for all to enjoy," he said. The theft has been reported to the police.

All the daffodil flowers have been picked along the walk, which is about 1,700 ft (500m) long

Volunteers cleared the walkway of brambles before planting it with bulbs

Wisbech Street Pride is a volunteer group, funded by bodies including Fenland District Council, that creates and maintains flower beds and picks up litter.

"We choose the town's grot spots and try to make them better and brighter," Mr Wheeldon said.

The volunteers planted £1,230-worth of bulbs on Octavia Way and created an exercise trail.

But Mr Wheeldon said he was shocked to discover all the daffodils had disappeared, and believes they have been taken to sell.

"This isn't just a few kids picking a few for their mums - this has been done on an industrial scale," he said.

Mr Wheeldon said the flowers were in a secluded spot, making it easier for them to be picked without anyone noticing.

After he posted photographs of the hedgerows on social media, dozens of people commented, describing the sight as "disgraceful" and "so sad".

The flowers were planted on land belonging to the National Trust, which has reported the thefts to Cambridgeshire Police.