A SYMBOL in the fight against a potentially lethal disease has bloomed near Oswestry.

The purple crocuses planted by Oswestry Cambrian Rotary outside the main entrance to the Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen have popped up.

The flower is a symbol of Rotary International’s fight to eradicate polio throughout the world - and children who have taken part in the immunisation programme have their little finger dipped in purple dye.

Oswestry Cambrian Rotary Club spokesman Mike Lade said: "Many of us of a 'certain age' will remember when we had Polio in this country and how many had to spend their lives in “Iron Lungs”. This included patients at the RJAH!

"It wasn’t until the UK and the western world embarked on its own immunisation programme that it was eradicated for us."

Rotary, working with the United Nations and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the last 26years, has succeeded in making the world 99 per cent polio free but cases are still reported by the World Health each year.

"This shows the need to redouble efforts to help Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria to retain strong immunisation coverage and hopefully, to rid the world of this highly infectious and disabling disease which can be fatal," Mr Lade added.

"The world must be free of polio for three clear years before the work is done."