THOUSANDS of flowers have been planted in parks and public places across Swindon to raise awareness of a serious viral infection

Swindon Rotary members have planted a crocus corms in support of End Polio Now, a campaign aiming to rid the world of the crippling disease.

The warmer weather is starting to wake the crocuses from their winter snooze, encouraging them to transform the parks and public areas including Queens Drive and St Mary’s Church in Lydiard Park into a sea of vibrant purple.

President of the Rotary Club of Swindon Old Town, Roy Parkinson, said: “The purpose was to share the story of Rotary’s promise to eradicate polio and to transform barren areas for all to enjoy. They are worth visiting, just to see the differences made.

“Purple is a symbolic colour as it is the dye used to mark a child’s little finger when they have received the immunisation.”

Mayor, Junab Ali, added: “When the public donates to Rotary, they are asking and trusting Rotary to save lives and that is what clubs do each and every day.

“The money helps with so many critical aspects necessary to ensure those life-saving vaccines reach children everywhere and includes the vaccines themselves, studying the movement of the disease and finding ways to combat it.”