A field of 800 sunflowers appeared on the ramp outside St Pancras railway station as part of a temporary installation staged by Ian Drummond, creative director of the Highgate firm Indoor Garden Design.

Although it was much liked, the sunflower field had to be removed, so Mr Drummond gave the flowers to children at Tufnell Park Primary School’s gardening club.

Mr Drummond, who has often supported the school with gifts of plants or pots, suggested that gardening club members come and rescue as many sunflower plants as they could.

Despite wind and rain, a group of children and parents came equipped with bin bags, expecting to uproot the plants at the staion.

But they found the dismantling already done and a neat rectangle of sunflowers in pots lined up for them by Indoor Garden Design staff.

Mr Drummond was also there to welcome the young gardeners.

The sunflowers are now adorning the school playground in Dalmeny Road, Tufnell Park.