If you go down to the woods today... (From Gazette & Herald)

If you go down to the woods today...

FAIRYTALE bluebell woods will be on view to walkers on Sunday in aid of the Christian Aid appeal, in the village of Welburn near Malton.

Cate Tate-Smith, who is organising the event, said the bluebells were now at their best in the idyllic woods on the outskirts of the village. A large number of people were expected to take part in the walk, which will be sign-posted.

Refreshments will be served in the village hall after those taking part complete the three-mile walk, or its shorter route.

The idea of the bluebell walk, now an annual event at Welburn, was started by the late Dame Christian Howard, of Coneysthorpe. "It has become increasingly popular each year," said Mrs Tate-Smith.

The conservation charity Plantlife, which aims to increase awareness of the country's native plants, recently carried out a poll to find the flower which best represents their area of the country and the bluebell came top in 20 counties in a vote by 25,000 people.

Now, Plantlife has made the wild flower the symbol for the whole of the British Isles. The charity says that nearly half of the country's ancient bluebell woods have been lost in the last 70 years and, as a result, they are now a protected species.

Medieval monks are said to have used bluebells to treat leprosy, while in Wales they were thought effective against tuberculosis, says Plantlife. Very small amounts of the powdered bulb were used because all parts of the bluebell are poisonous. Currently, the plant is being studied by researchers because it contains a range of alkaloids which may be useful to modern medicine.

Updated: 14:40 Wednesday, May 14, 2003