Durham Wildlife Trust volunteers scything at Wearhead on Friday the 4th of August never expected to find………

a plantain the size of a snake! What a find! Heart of Durham Volunteer Richard Walsby couldn’t believe his eyes when he found this.

It is, believe it or not, a ribwort plantain!

Four flower heads fused together and with a total stem length of 86cm! (Normally they grow 10-40cm in length)

“This abnormality cannot be attributed to fertilisers” said Anne Porter, Heart of Durham Project Officer “as this field is managed in partnership with Northumberland Water for bio-diversity. It is cut yearly by volunteers and a local grazier puts sheep on for a short period over the winter, helping to keep the sward short which is beneficial for the spread of wildflowers. We were amazed when Richard found this “