Academic addresses Devon hedge daisy chain mystery
A university academic believes he has solved the mystery of what appears to be a line of daisies in hedgerows across part of Devon.
Dr Paul Lunt, of the University of Plymouth, has spent two years studying the hedgerows and their white markings which stretch from Exeter to Plymouth.
He said the daisies were in seeds used to replace hedges dug up when a power station pipeline was installed.
He thinks the daisies will probably be gradually shaded out by shrubs.
The daisies can been seen in boundary hedges in many fields along the 40 miles (64km) between the two cities.
Dr Lunt said: "This [line] is part of a pipeline that runs from Exeter to Langage Power Station.
"In order to put the pipeline in, they had to remove the hedgerows.
"So they were moved aside, the pipeline put in and then the hedgerows replaced in their original position.
"What we can see is part of the seed mix that was used in the reinstatement process."
Dr Lunt said he expected that the daisies would be shaded out by other plants within five years.