FOR the first time ever, flower power has brought together two communities in a fund-raising celebration of the area's famous wild daffodils.

The local villages of Kempley and Oxenhall will join forces this spring to celebrate the fields of wild daffodils in the so-called "Golden Triangle", a zone which was beloved of the Dymock Poets over a century ago.

In the days of Edward Thomas, Robert Frost and Rupert Brooke, the daffodils were picked in their thousands and sent to hospital wards in Birmingham and London.

The long-defunct train line, which ran through Ledbury, was called "The Daffodil Line" for this reason.

Now visitors to the Golden Triangle are content to look and not pick, and there will be organised guided walks and trips on the "Daff and Ride" bus on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20.

In past years, both Kempley and Oxenhall have organised similar flower-viewing events.

But a spokesman said: "This will be our first combined event. The 'daffodil teas' started in 1975, when local ladies decided to organised teas on specific weekends, to raise money for local churches and to coincide with the blooming of the wild daffodils."

Fund-raising for local churches will be a key aim of this year's event.

There will be an exhibition of local paintings in St Edward's Church, Kempley; a local history exhibition in St Anne's Church, Oxenhall and a chance to view the medieval frescoes at St Mary's Church, Kempley.

Money raised in Kempley will raise money for the fabric fund for St Edward's Church and the Kempley village hall restoration fund.

At Oxenhall, proceeds will go towards the upkeep of St Anne's Church.