A THOUSAND Dutch tulips planted in Dunster were this week providing a blaze of colour to help commemorate today's (Friday) 55th anniversary of the liberation of Holland.

The red and white displays of blooms around the village were a reminder of Dunster's part in providing aid to the war-torn Netherlands.

The bulbs were presented to the village during last winter's Dunster by Candlelight weekend as a millennium gift from Haye Gallama, mayor of the Dutch town of Elst.

He hoped they would flower in time for the May 5 liberation anniversary, an important public celebration in Holland.

Residents of Dunster, themselves coping with rationing during the war, sent food parcels to the people of Elst after hearing of their plight under German occupation.

It was a gesture which was never to be forgotten by the Dutch townsfolk, who have ever since maintained a relationship with the West Somerset village.

Dunster parish council chairman Cllr Joan Nicholson was one of many parishioners who helped to plant the tulips in several flower beds around the village.

Cllr Nicholson said: "They look beautiful and really add a splash of colour to the village.

"The fact they have bloomed right on time for this week's anniversary is absolutely wonderful."

Many of the bulbs were planted around Dunster's dovecot, while others were placed in the village garden and some in flower beds in the Riverside Gardens sheltered bungalow development at Dunster Marsh.

Pictured is Dunster war veteran Bill Dainton, aged 80 and believed to be the village's last surviving veteran who actually fought at Elst during the famous Operation Market Garden campaign to seize the bridges at Arnhem and Nimjegen.

Elst was a strategically important target on the road between the two towns.

Mr Dainton was an intelligence sergeant in the Somerset Light Infantry, part of the 43rd Division sent to relieve airborne forces trying to take the bridges.

Elst was taken by the 7th Battalion of the Somersets and Mr Dainton's regiment went in as relief and then saw fierce fighting for a week as the town was held against German counter-attacks.

Mr Dainton, retired director of the accounts department of the former Luttrell Arms Garage, has never been back to Elst.