RAVENOUS rabbits were duped by a military planting operation to fill a bunny-ravaged garden with colour for long enough to please the public at a charity opening.

With days to go until the one-acre Wilmslow garden at White Pines, Greaves Road, opened for all on the annual Wilmslow Wells for Africa Gardens Day which raised more than £7,500, the flower beds were bare from hordes of nibbly bunnies eating every blooming thing in their fluffy-tailed path.

But not to be left defeated by the troublesome munchers, Angela Barclay, her gardener Phil Sutton and his assistant Phil Clarke, set to work on a mass planting session to beat the rabbit raiders — planting 500 flowers in four hours on the morning of the event.

The two determined Phils bought the plants from Chelford market the night before, locking them safely away from twitching rabbit noses in Angela’s garage overnight, to start the "beat the bunnies flying flower" operation at 7am.

Phil Sutton, who runs Garden Wizard in Alderley Edge, said: "It’s the earliest I’ve ever been planting out."

Angela said: "It would have been no use planting the border even the day before — the rabbits could have eaten them before the visitors arrived."

Surveying her freshly flower-filled borders, she added: "I’m very pleased with the result.

"Phil and Phil really made a big effort to make the garden look good."

More then 200 visitors showed up to survey the colourful scene — blissfully unaware that hours before the beds were bare.

Angela added: "I didn’t bother to tell them.

"People just thought they were always like that."

The rabbits must have thought it was their lucky day, as once the crowds had subsided they were free to feast.

Angela said: "It’s such a shame the plants won’t last long — I just hope the rabbits get indigestion!"

Wilmslow Wells for Africa runs the gardens day every year to raise money to improve life in drought-stricken areas of Africa by providing wells, pumps, dams and water collection equipment.

To donate contact Helen Battilana on 01625 250368 or Shirley Baulkwill on 01625 522552. Visit www.wilmslowwells.org .