FED-up gardeners are fighting back against a mystery plant poisoner - by calling in security guards.

The green-fingered folk of Cayton, near Scarborough, have set their hopes on achieving success in this year’s Britain in Bloom contest.

But in May their floral displays were damaged when a saboteur attacked them with a banned weedkiller.

Now, uniformed officers in marked vehicles from a private security firm have been hired alongside plain clothed officers to protect the displays before the judging on August 11.

The security officers, provided by firm Instore Security, will cover the whole village throughout the summer, carrying out patrols every day.

Cayton in Bloom chairman Les Hutchinson said: "This is a very serious situation and we had no choice but to hire guards. We have to do all we can."

The cost of the security guards is being covered by sponsors.

May’s plant deaths were found to be as a direct result of one of the most common weedkillers, sodium chlorate. Because of its potency it has recently been withdreawn from sale.