Thousands of purple crocuses planted to highlight global effort to eradicate polio

The vividly-coloured flower is the emblem of Rotary's worldwide campaign to finally rid the world of the highly infectious virus which causes crippling disease, especially in young children.

Around 2,000 crocus corms, supplied by the Rotary Club of Norwich, have been planted at the Dorothea de Winton Field Station at Bawburgh - an experimental farm hosting cutting-edge plant research and crop trials.

Planting 2,000 crocus corms at Bawburgh are Anna Cottrell and Rita Douglas from Rotary Club of Norwich, with Prof George Lomonossoff, Dr Anne Edwards and Caroline Smith from the John Innes Centre (Image: Sonya Duncan)

The site is operated by the John Innes Centre, based on the