You've heard of beauty contests being fixed but the world of wild flowers is normally beyond reproach.

Yet there is a suspicion that lovers of bluebells may have nobbled a poll designed to find out the favourite flowers in each county.

Sussex was one of 20 places where the bluebell came top in the contest conducted by Plantlife but organisers are suspicious and have decided to run the poll again.

It's not the worst crime in the world but bluebells are now out. Instead people will be able to vote for either the bird's-foot-trefoil or the round-headed rampion.

They are much more appropriate for, while bluebells grow abundantly in almost any wood, the two other flowers are particularly associated with the Downs.

The round-headed rampion is already the official flower of the Society of Sussex Downsmen and would be a worthy winner at a time when the Downs are being designated as a national park.