IT is one of the rarest plants in Britain, and it lives on a storm-swept beach on the Sussex coast.

The fragile Childing Pink is so scarce there are only a handful of other known colonies in the country.

But the small unassuming plant is being mistaken for a weed and is under threat from unsuspecting beach ramblers and tourists.

The plant is regularly trodden on and last year its plot on Shoreham Beach was almost destroyed when Guy Fawkes revellers tried to build a bonfire on it.

West Sussex County Council has now taken the unusual step of fencing off an area around the plant to ward off trampling tourists.

Peter Brown, the county's head of countryside management said: "We want to get the message across to people to be more careful when walking across the beach and respect this rare plant."

The beach is also home to other rare wildlife, including the Starry Clover, again found on only a handful of beaches in Britain.

And last year green lizards were discovered there. The creatures, believed to be Spanish Wall Lizards, are about five inches long.

David Wood, from the Shoreham Society says it is vital that people respect the area.

He said: "We are very lucky here but it is important that we look after species like the Childing Pink. It would be a shame if it died out."

The Childing Pink looks similar to clumps of weeds most of the year, and during spring it produces a small pink flower.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust confirmed that it is one of Britain's rarest plants, with the only other known colony in Sussex at Pagham.

The Childing Pink, or Petrorhagia Nantevilii, was officially identified in Britain in 1950.

Other colonies are believed only to exist in certain parts of the Isle of Wight and Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Don Baker, from the Trust said: "They are classed as endangered which is about as rare as it gets. Areas like Shoreham are of great interest to us as a lot of wildlife makes it's way to the area from passing boats."

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