A FLORIST has been inundated with requests to make Brussels sprout wreaths, after her controversial Christmas creation went viral on social media.

Andrea Hillyard, 59, initially decided to use the divisive winter vegetable in a 'wacky' take on the traditional wreath for her daughter.

But when her daughter posted pictures on Twitter she got floods of requests from people, asking her to make the quirky decoration for them.

Mrs Hillyard said: "As a florist, every year I do all these traditional wreaths. But I was visiting my daughter who lives in London with my granddaughter and every year I do her a wacky wreath instead.

"I almost forgot this year and it was a bit last minute but when I was in the green grocers I saw these sprouts on sticks and I thought - that's what I'm going to do.

"I took it up to her in a park in Wimbledon because we had to meet outside, she put it on her door and on her Twitter and then she started texting me saying I've got 100, 200 likes. I think I've now got 4,000 likes.

"It was literally just done for a bit of fun, but people have been messaging me asking if I would make one for them as well.

"I don't even like sprouts. I hate them. I don't eat them, but it was enjoyable to make because I knew it was for my daughter Kim.

"It brought a smile to my daughter and our family and it looks like it's made lots of other people smile too."

Mrs Hillyard has owned The Floral Corner in Southampton for 11 years and has been a florist for 15. She said that, between her and her four employees, they have a total experience in floristry of 100 years.

She added: "I used my florist skills, making the frame first, then I added all the greenery and wired each individual sprout on one by one. It probably took about half an hour.

"You do your run of the mill wreaths but people are used to seeing those traditional ones. I think, this year especially, people want to see something a bit more quirky and wacky.

"I like it when people ask me to make something weird, it gets my imagination running wild.

"I've been getting texts from customers saying how great it is, people are beeping and waving at us in the street."