Market Drayton simply daffy about spring daffodils display

Thousands of daffodils planted on the roadside as part of a major community project have flowered on Market Drayton's bypass.

Over the past three years 10,000 bulbs have been planted on the site by a group of residents hoping to bring colour to the town as part of Operation Market Daffodil. And organisers have claimed that the enthusiasm for the project is growing year on year.

Last year about 100 soldiers from 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, based at Tern Hill, volunteered to help plant bulbs between the Gingerbread Man and Muller roundabouts.

Over the years members of a number of voluntary and community groups in the town have done their bit helping to plant bulbs including Market Drayton Rotary Club, schools and churches.

Jim Grant, one of the people who have helped to plant the daffodils, said the community spirit to keep planting is not wilting.

He said: "We have been doing this for three years now. It is a community project, that is key to the whole thing, it is not just one group. The whole aim is to plant them on the bypass.

"We have reached our goal of planting for the approximate population of Market Drayton but people just seem to want to keep planting. "We have planted 10,000 now, hopefully we will get a grant for £500 this year and plant another 6,000 bulbs. We will just keep doing it.

"It has been members of the army, service clubs, school and churches that have helped.

"A whole variety of people of all ages."

The scheme has previously been funded by a £600 grant from Shropshire Council's Market Drayton Local Joint Committee.

Mr Grant came up with the idea to bring a little colour to the town after visiting other areas in the county.

"I work in Shrewsbury from time to time and saw the daffodils they there so I thought I will bring it back here," he added.

"The important thing about daffodils is it is a symbol of hope, that is why is it the symbol for the Marie Curie Cancer charity. They just keep spreading."