GARDENING devotees who relish their role tending to public flower beds have won a battle to keep planting their displays.

Margaret Biggs and Alison Peedell were disappointed and upset to hear village leaders hoped to replace their lovingly-tended flower beds at a war memorial with rose bushes.

Kennington Parish Councillors wanted to honour veteran Kennington resident Tony Taylor, who passed away last year, by planting the bushes in his memory using money he left the council in his will.

But neighbours banded together to save the women’s work, spurring the council to overturn its decision.

Kennington resident Mrs Biggs, 70, said: "We were told that we might not be needed anymore. We heard they were definitely going to put the rose bushes in so I decided to post on Facebook and they saw the support we got."

The pair have voluntarily been taking care of flowers at the memorial near St Swithun's Church for two years, volunteering their time to weed, prune and replant using flower bulbs donated by Kennington Horticultural Society and other villagers.

Mrs Peedell, chair of the society, said: "My life is gardening. We were asked to look after the memorial and it's been a great success, we get praise from everybody that walks past. We were a little disappointed.

"We don't want to cause trouble but the council approached us in the first place and we took it on in good faith, then all of a sudden they didn't want us. Understandably we were a bit upset but social media won the day."

Their post on the Kennington Connected Facebook page, stating the beds were to be replaced with roses, sparked villagers to brand the decision "a shame".

Commenters hailed the women for planting "stunning" and "brilliant" displays, particularly poppies that crept up this season to coincide with The Somme centenary - though Mrs Biggs said she was as surprised as anyone else to see them there.

She said: "They just appeared, it was beautiful. How appropriate."

The Grundy Crescent resident, whose parents also looked after the memorial, added: "I just enjoy doing it."

They left the beds bare while they waited for the council's decision, which was made at a meeting last week, before planting new bulbs on Tuesday.

Mrs Peedell, who lives in Upper Road, said they included "bright and colourful" dahlias and geraniums.

Colin Charlett, chairman of the parish council, said: "We thought about the rose bushes but bowed to public pressure and changed our minds. The residents weren't happy and made their feelings known.

"We thought if we put the flowers on the war memorial they are unlikely to be vandalised unlike in other areas of the village. We are still going to do something but we are considering what."