THE Highways Agency has admitted killing hundreds of protected rare orchids near a busy Devon road.

Nine species of orchid were being grown at an official county wildlife site close to the A38 near Chudleigh.

But up to 90 per cent of the rare butterfly orchids have died days after Crammers Cross was sprayed with herbicides to reduce bramble and gorse.

The agency admitted there had been some spraying in the area and said it was investigating the incident. It is understood 717 butterfly orchids were growing at the site last year. Other species included the bee orchid and the southern marsh orchid.

Giles Knight, conservation manager for Devon Wildlife Trust, said: "It's an incredible group of flowers. For it to have been decimated to 10 per cent, it's very hard to accept.

"Roadside verges are a part of our living landscape and butterfly orchids are a very special plant. Where you get a range of them in the same place it requires sensitive management, not what it was receiving in this case."

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Spot spraying was carried out last week on this site. It has been brought to our attention that there has been overspraying and some orchids have been killed.

"This is the first time this has happened, but we will be investigating and ensuring this does not happen again."