Rotary clubs in Dundee are hoping it will be a case of third time lucky with their display of purple crocuses to highlight an international effort to eradicate polio.
A second effort by the clubs has been buried by workmen. The Rotarians planted 3,000 purple crocus bulbs at the Claypotts junction in 2011 as part of the international Focus on the Crocus Campaign to bring attention to sufferers of the fatal disease in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
The crocuses’ purple colour matches the stamp put on the finger of each child given the polio vaccine, and the blossoming flowers were seen as a powerful symbol of the cause.
A crew from Scottish and Southern Energy dug up the Claypotts plantation, however, because of a fault in an underground high voltage cable supplying electricity to thousands of homes.
SSE apologised for the unavoidable situation and pledged to have the bulbs replanted.
They did so last year but the experience was not a success as the replanted bulbs were a mixture of yellow and purple crocuses and the impact of the message was lost.
The bulbs were replaced by the city council, but SSE have dug up the site again.
A spokeswoman for SSE said there was another major fault in an underground high voltage cable and it was necessary to excavate the site to carry out the repair.
She added: “We are very sorry about having to do this and we will have the bulbs replaced.
“We would point out the £1 million improvement project taking place in the network on Arbroath Road will avoid having to carry out repair work at the Claypotts site again.”
Alastair Scott, president of the Rotary Club of Dundee, said: “We are all very frustrated that this has happened again.
“It’s good that the bulbs will be replaced and we thank those involved for doing this. We hope it will be a case of third time lucky.
This Saturday is Rotary Foundation Day when members will be out on the streets selling purple crocuses.