A gang of brazen thieves who stripped a town park of its entire stock of daffodils were being hunted by cops today.
Just seven out of an estimated 10,000 blooming daffodils were left standing after the flowers were cut at their stems in an ‘industrial scale’ operation earlier this week.
The flowers, worth around £2,000, were stolen from National Trust-owned land in the centre of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
Daffodils that were planted by volunteers in the Cambridgeshire town of Wisbech have been cut at their stems and stolen
Just seven out of an estimated 10,000 blooming daffodils were left standing after the flowers were cut at their stems in an ‘industrial scale’ operation earlier this week
The flowers, worth around £2,000, were stolen from National Trust owned land in the centre of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
They had been planted along hedgerows last October by volunteers from Wisbech Street Pride who were keen to brighten up the area.
Police have been informed of the theft which is believed to have been by a gang planning to sell the flowers on to unsuspecting members of the public.
Two men were later seen flogging bunches of the brightly-coloured spring flowers in the town centre and outside a nearby Asda superstore.
Retired volunteer Alan Wheeldon, 69, had helped plant 12,000 daffodil bulbs with other volunteers.
He said: ‘Now you could count the number of daffodils on one hand.’
‘It’s not a blaze of colour, just a row of green leaves.
‘The bulbs are still there, all that have been taken are the blooms.’
Locals walk their dogs along the path where the daffodils were stolen earlier this week
Police have been informed of the theft which is believed to have been by a gang planning to sell the flowers on to unsuspecting members of the public
The group planted 20,000 mixed variety bulbs, including 12,000 daffodils, along a quarter mile stretch in October 2018.
Mr Wheeldon added that he believed the flowers had been taken to sell, with them cut at the stem base.
Locals later reported multiple men selling daffodils across the town.
One had an ‘overflowing’ backpack in the town center, but refused to answer when questioned on his source.
To those taking the bulbs, Mr Wheeldon said: ‘Please stop because you’re spoiling all the colour in the town.
‘All of Wisbech Street Pride agree that it won’t deter us, we will carry on regardless and continue sprucing up the town.
‘We want to make the town a lovely place to work and visit.’
To those taking the bulbs, Mr Wheeldon said: ‘Please stop because you’re spoiling all the colour in the town’
The theft was reported by the National Trust to Cambridgeshire Constabulary on Wednesday
The theft was reported by the National Trust to Cambridgeshire Constabulary on Wednesday.
They released the following statement: ‘A crime has been raised following reports of more than £1,230 worth of daffodils having been cut at the bottom of their stems and taken from the National Trust site in Chapel Road, Wisbech.’
The volunteer group, with 45 members on Facebook, were recognized for their decade of contributions to Fenland last year.
The volunteer group, with 45 members on Facebook, were recognized for their decade of contributions to Fenland last year
They meet once a week to paint street furniture, litter pick and plant greenery.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police either online at www.cambs.police.uk/report or by calling 101 and quoting 35/18247/20.
The figure £1,230 was the value of a grant given to the volunteers to plant the bulbs but does not reflect the true worth of the blooming flowers.
Internet flower retailers are currently selling 100 daffodils for around £20.