Deep in the Sussex countryside a killer is lurking which faces being burnt to death when it is caught.

The culprit is strong enough to kill horses and cattle because of its poisonous nature.

But there is no need for people to fear it as the killer in question is ragwort and steps are being taken to ensure it cannot harm a rare plant.

Ragwort is a weed which, if left unmanaged, can smother plants and can kill animals which eat it.

The RSPCA has already dealt with several horse deaths in Sussex.

Steps are now being taken to ensure the hairy mallow, an endangered plant, does not become its next target.

The plant is so special its exact location, near Polegate, must remain a secret.

The plant is on the list of globally threatened or declining species and is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

It is largely a southern European species that reaches the northern edge of its range in Britain.

It is now restricted to five native sites in southern England.

The hairy mallow is also thought to be native to land owned by South-East Water where it has blossomed and become Britain's second largest colony of the plant.

But although it has been flourishing, the killer weed has been invading the area where the mallow grows.

In a bid to save the plant, a team of 20 staff from South-East Water's head office left their desks behind to help tackle the problem.

They carried out the work under the guidance of English Nature and experts from the Plantlife organisation who advised them to pull the plant out, ensuring the whole root was removed.

Margaret Devlin, South-East Water's managing director, also helped with the clearing.

She said: "It's imperative to ensure our site continues to thrive with protected and beautiful species.

"Ragwort needs to be removed before it sends and spreads further.

"South-East Water has an excellent track record when it comes to the management of rare and endangered species and their habitats.

"We are fortunate to have a group of volunteers who regularly help us with conservation work on many of our sites."

To ensure the removed ragwort does not return it will be burnt at a suitable location.