Verge cutting works along a Portland road have been temporarily paused.

Dorset Council's greenspace team were out cutting verges on Easton Road when they spotted Bee and Pyramidal Orchids growing.

They made the decision to temporarily pause cutting these verges to allow the orchids to finish their life cycle.

Like all wildflowers, orchids are protected under Section 13 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This means that it’s illegal to intentionally uproot any wild plant without authorisation

A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: "When our greenspace team were out cutting verges on Portland this week they spotted Bee and Pyramidal Orchids growing on Easton Road. To allow the orchids to finish their life cycle, we have temporarily paused cutting on these verges.

"These types of orchids like chalk grasslands and coastal habitats, and their bright flowers attract bees, butterflies and moths. By letting the orchids finish flowering and go to seed, we can provide food for our pollinators and help more orchids to grow here in the future.

"Bee Orchids can take as long as six years to reach flowering stage, and sometimes may only flower once in their lifetime."