Children from two Medway special schools helped plant 1,000 crocus bulbs at a park in Strood.

Pupils from Rivermead School in Gillingham and Abbey Court School in Strood dug in at Broomhill Park to plant the crocus corms. In the spring around 3,000 purple flowers will sprout.

It was organised by the Friends of Broomhill Park and Medway Sunlight Rotary to highlight the fight to eradicate polio.

Although children in the UK are immunised against the crippling disease as babies, polio is still prevalent in other countries and Rotary International has been campaigning since the 1980s to eradicate it through vaccinations.

The purple crocus symbolise the purple dye painted on the fingers of children to show they have been immunised.

Friends secretary David Park said: “It’s a huge partnership for us. It gives us very realistic links into the community. It also enables the young people to come and get experience in a real work environment.

“Even really simple tasks can be hard for them but things like litter picking have helped them with their coordination skills.”

A group of pupils from Abbey Court also do work experience at the park in King Arthur’s Drive every Wednesday afternoon and help with tasks such as cutting back scrub, planting and litter picking.