Thieves swipe abbey’s carpet of snowdrops

THREE men have been arrested after allegedly digging up snowdrops and taking a large quantity of the valuable bulbs from a popular beauty spot.

Police believe the bulbs were taken from the grounds of Walsingham Abbey near Fakenham, Norfolk, late on Tuesday night or in the early hours of Wednesday. The arrests were made after officers stopped a car on the A148 at Little Walsingham at 2am on Wednesday.

The 18 acres of woodland around the abbey’s ruins are famous for a carpet of snowdrops, pictured, and attract thousands of visitors every spring. The display has been described as ‘a mass of white which seems to go on for ever’.

Snowdrop bulbs are often illegally dug up and sold, and a single bulb has sold for £357.

The National Trust has put extra security measures in place to protect snowdrops at some of its attractions. The trust is so concerned about thefts that gardeners at one of its properties are labelling bulbs to keep track of them.

The three men have been charged with theft and will appear before magistrates later this month.