THE last cut has banished rhododendrons from island jewel, Brownsea Island.

Dorset Wildlife Trust is celebrating success in a 50-year battle to rid the Poole Harbour island of the invasive, yet attractive, bloom.

Rhododendron ponticum gave the island a purple bloom in early summer, but had successfully spread across the woods of the nature reserve.

The shrub, introduced in the 19th century, was suffocating wild flowers and trees and threatening the survival of one of the last surviving red squirrel populations in southern England.

Thousands of volunteers had worked over the years to grub out the plant and Brian March from Hamworthy, Poole won the chance to chop down the last survivor.

“Brian March represents an incredible volunteer effort since the days of Helen Brotherton, our late president and saviour of Brownsea Island,” said Abby Gibbs, the trust’s warden on the island.

“Thanks to him and countless others, we now have a good woodland habitat for the precious population of red squirrels and can concentrate on protecting them and the other wildlife on the island.”

Brian, who works as a geologist said: “It has been an absolute privilege to have volunteered for the DWT over the last five years.

“I would urge everyone to get involved in whatever way you can – from recycling a can every day to putting up a bird feeder or even giving up a day of your time. If everyone makes a small effort then amazing things can be accomplished.

“To have won this competition is a wonderful surprise and an honour.”

Any re-growth will be managed by spraying for the next few years.