South Kesteven: Tulips in bloom to honour links to World War Two

The maroon colour of the tulips matches the beret worn by British airborne forces

Maroon tulips are blooming across South Kesteven to honour the district's World War Two heritage.

The British 1st Airborne Division trained locally for Operation Market Garden, known as the Battle of Arnhem.

South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) has funded 1,000 tulips from the Netherlands, where the battle took place in 1944.

The displays will mark the 80th anniversary of the battle in September.

American students planted tulips around the courtyard at Harlaxton Manor

After training, the men were flown from airfields at Barkston Heath and Saltby for the mission, which was immortalised in the 1977 film A Bridge Too Far.

About 10,600 Commonwealth servicemen took part in the operation, but only 2,400 returned. Thousands were captured by German forces.

Imperial War Museums lists a memorial at RAF Barkston Heath designed to commemorate those who "deployed from the airfield of South Lincolnshire to spearhead the assault".

The colour of the tulips - which mirror the hue of British paratroopers' berets - was chosen by Darren Key, from Cheshire, whose grandfather fought at Arnhem.

September will mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem

He started the memorial trail in the Netherlands last year at sites around Arnhem.

Councillor Richard Dixon-Warren, SKDC's armed forces champion, said: "We have a unique local heritage of hosting and training airborne forces here for the biggest ever wartime airlift of troops and equipment to Arnhem.

"Seeing these tulips bloom in their honour is our tribute to their bravery and sacrifice."

Tulip locations:

• St Vincent's Church, Caythorpe

• Easton Walled Gardens

• Harlaxton Manor

• RAF Saltby

• St Andrew and Mary's Church, Stoke Rochford

• Fulbeck Manor

• Fulbeck Craft Workshops

• Grimsthorpe Castle