“IT’S SICKENING.”

Those are the words of a Goodworth Clatford couple who returned home from a night out to discover their beloved wild orchid had been ripped from the ground and stolen.

Sophie and Simon Turner were horrified to discover a large hole in place of the bloom on Wednesday, June 14.

Mr Turner is the estate manager for the Westover Farm Partnership, an arable farm in the area, and works hard to cultivate and conserve wild flowers on the land.

The orchid originally sat on a grass verge at the crossroads of Longstock Road and Fullerton Road.

The pair say they have seen the orchid flourish for the past couple of years.

Last year, Hampshire County Council unfortunately cut the wild flower while maintaining the grass verge at the crossroads.

However the plant survived the ordeal and the couple were delighted to see it bloom once more this year.

Mrs Turner said her husband planted two huge stakes surrounding the orchid to prevent the same mistake from happening again in future.

But that did not deter the thieves.

Mr Turner last saw the plant around 6pm on Wednesday and it was not until the pair returned from a night out less than four hours later that they discovered the theft.

Mrs Turner, 49, said: “Orchids are very beautiful and you don’t see them very often.

“It wasn’t our orchid. It was there for everybody to enjoy and it was stunning.

“I’m just really mad someone has taken something that everyone should enjoy.

“It probably won’t even survive because of the type of soil it needs. It’s just horrid.

“Lots of people know it and see it.

“We’re trying to make the world a better and more beautiful place and someone just digs it up.

“And now no-one can enjoy it.”

She added her husband has been working hard to get wild flowers back on the farm he manages and is furious that someone has illegally dug up the wild flower.

Under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is illegal to uproot any wild plant or pick any rare or endangered wild flowers.