PENSIONER Peter Andow just wanted to bring a splash of colour to his neighbourhood.

For 15 years he has carefully planted crocuses and snowdrops around lamp posts, on verges and beside a phone box in his street.

But his green-fingered attempts to brighten up the area have been wrecked by council workers who sprayed them with weedkiller.

Now the 70-year-old has been warned not to replant - because what he is doing is illegal and he could be taken to court and landed with a fine of £200.

Southampton City Council bosses say any resident wanting to plant bulbs on the roadside must have a licence - which can be bought for £110.

Peter, who has been widowed 13 years, began planting the pretty flowers 15 years ago to please his late wife Elsa.

Fellow pensioners have even been known to make requests for particular bulbs to be planted within sight of their homes.

When former neighbour Bett Smith's husband died, Peter cheered her up by planting snowdrops - her favourite flower - outside her Cherwell Crescent home.

Peter said: "My wife used to really like the flowers. You don't go round the Millbrook estate and see nice grass verges like these. Mine are better than most of the lawns on this estate.

"I've had little boys come up to me and say they wish they had gardens like these verges.

"This is the first time the council have come and sprayed the bulbs. Why they had to do it I don't know."

Peter has vowed not to be defeated.

He has dug up the old plants, replaced the soil and planted fresh bulbs.

"I will carry on looking after the verges until they (the council) shoot me," he said.

A Southampton City Council spokesman said that unless Mr Andow applies for a licence he could be fined up to £200.

If he continued to plant after a conviction he would be fined 50p per day, added the council.

Mr Andow's fine for keeping his street looking neat and tidy is comparable to fines imposed on vandals in the criminal courts.

A licence to plant bulbs costs £110 for a five-year period.

However, residents report that drivers regularly park on the verges and ruin the grass but it seemed no action was taken against them.

The licence is available to any member of the public providing they adhere to a set of 14 conditions which include not removing soil from the land or planting any poisonous trees or shrubs on it.

The spokesman added: "The city council appreciates that residents want to make the grass verges along their roads more attractive and to prevent cars being parked off the road.

"However, legally the council has a duty to ensure that weeds on the verges are kept under control.

"Although we are sorry if the plants have died, it is in fact illegal to plant up the verges unless a licence has been obtained."