People who like to receive flowers gift hampers might be pleased to learn that experts have predicted a colourful blossom this year.

The news comes as the country recovers from a prolonged cold winter, which has in turn delayed the start of spring.

Such a disrupted beginning to the flower season means that magnolias will flourish at their most colourful for decades and snowdrops could be found until the end of March and into April.

Ian Wright, garden advisor for the National Trust in the south west, said: "The flower buds are really filling out and with some slight temperature rises I can expect an abundance of petals."

The changes should be aided by a mild spring, which the Met Office recently announced would be the case.

Established in 1854, the Met Office was originally created as a small department within the Board of Trade to serve mariners who worked under captain Robert Fitzroy.