THOUSANDS of crocus bulbs have been planted in Horsforth and Aireborough to mark the fight to eradicate polio across the globe.

Children from ten schools in the area helped plant 5,000 purple corms and bulbs in support of Rotary's This close, and Purple4Polio campaigns. Rotary has been committed to fighting polio for more than 30 years. The number of polio-endemic countries has dropped from 125 to just three, with more 2.5 billion children receiving vaccinations thanks to the organisation's help.

The number of cases worldwide has been reduced by 99.9 per cent from 1,000 per day in 1988, to 74 cases in 2015 and to around half that number in 2016.

The campaign took its name from the purple stamp put on the finger of each child as they receive the vaccination drops.

A Rotary spokesman said: "Alongside the planting, children have also seen a presentation explaining how the campaign developed and how for every £1 raised by Rotary worldwide the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation adds a further £2 because they have seen at first hand the operation and its results.

"The Aireborough Club is proud of its working relationship with the schools with dictionaries donated each year as well as help with reading, attendance at the Brass Band Concert encouraged by free tickets and now for the second time involvement in celebratory crocus planting."

The schools involved were St. Margaret’s Primary, Queensway Primary, St. Peter and Paul Catholic Primary, Rawdon St Peter’s Primary, Broadgate Primary, St. Oswald’s, Guiseley, Yeadon Westfield Junior, Newlaithes Junior, Rufford Park Primary and Guiseley Primary.