It was widely reported last week that an East Devon District Council employee 'misunderstood' his job and completely mowed flat a meadow being watched as part of the Sir David Attenborough-backed, Big Butterfly Count.

The meadow at The Knowle, in Sidmouth was just supposed to have a pathway cut through the field - but instead the worker completely mowed flat the entire nine acre site.

Devon Live reported that the wildflower meadow was blooming with all kinds of flora including orchids and bristling with butterflies, birds and insects.

Devon Live pictured the meadow before . . . 

 . . . and after

Conservationist Ed Dolphin had been counting butterflies the previous day for the national survey and turned up the next day to find butterflies and wildflowers were all gone.

Mr Dolphin told Devon Live, "I was horrified because it wasn't just the number but the sheer variety of butterflies there - at least eight different sorts - the day after there was just one, a good old cabbage white.

"It's tidy but it's more like a desert.

"Mowing it when they did and leaving the cuttings on is going to mean fewer wildflowers next time."

The BBC quoted a spokesperson for East Devon District Council as saying,"We regret that one of our operatives misunderstood the instructions he was given and cut the arena area by mistake, instead of just cutting some pathways and a flat area to help those using the park for walking through.

"We agree this shouldn't have happened and will be taking measures to ensure that this doesn't happen again next year."