A FLORAL Friday morning greeted folk in Malmesbury and Royal Wootton Bassett on their way to work as they discovered posies of flowers left on doorsteps and garden walls.

In Royal Wootton Bassett one was placed outside the town council offices and later went on display in reception.

The people behind the bouquets were members of Royal Wootton Bassett Flower Club who were taking part in a Lonely Bouquet campaign along with other groups in the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies.

Staged to mark National Flower Arranging Day, it involved people up and down the country leaving bouquets as random acts of kindness.

Club secretary Anne Tuffin said: “It just cheers somebody’s day up and it makes the town a nice place to live.”

Between 15 and 20 members were involved. They also put on a special display at the library to mark the day.

In Malmesbury there were three flowery random acts of kindness on Lonely Bouquet Day.

Emily Hepworth, 21, who owns Persephone Violet in Alexander Road, decided to take part in the Lonely Bouquet Day after stumbling across it on the internet.

Miss Hepworth said: "It is something which is a tradition among florists and something which we stumbled upon and wanted to take part in this year. I left three lonely bouquets in different locations around Malmesbury for people to find.

"I wanted to give back to the community I have been living in since I was ten. Malmesbury were very supportive of my business when I set up at the beginning of 2014.

"It has taken off and it was lovely to see the reactions of the people who found them. I think we will do it again next year as it was a great experience but I think we will change it to a treasure hunt with clues so it is a bit more interesting."

The florist hid one bouquet in a telephone box near Cross Hayes, one near the Abbey and one on the iron bench by the Co-op.

She added: "It was quite a nice practice as well for the run up to the Chelsea Flower Show where I am competing in the Young Florist of the Year category.

"The Chelsea Flower Show is the pinnacle for all florists and to have the opportunity to compete again is great. This year we have to make a headdress which is quite unusual but it fits in well with the upcoming olympics and carnival season.

Miss Hepworth has fought off other florists from around the country to be placed in the top 16 and secure a spot in the Young Florist of the Year category.

Jane Powell, who owns A4 Stationers in the High Street, found the Lonely Bouquet in the telephone box on her way to work.

Mrs Powell, 53, said: "I was delighted with the flowers. It was driving round this morning on my way to work and got stuck in traffic. While I was stuck in the jam, I don't know why but I looked at the phone box and there was the bouquet sat there.

"I must say it really brightened up my day and it was a fantastic piece of marketing too. I moved to Malmesbury five years ago and everyone here is so nice and the people I meet are lovely, so an act like today just reinforces that for me."