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Wildflowers growing in two car parks have been "eradicated" after a council mistakenly poisoned them with weed killer.

Poppies and hollyhocks growing at the base of the the walls surrounding Cold Harbour and Newland North car parks in Sherborne have been affected.

Residents have taken to social media to express their "shock" at the mix-up.

Dorset Council has apologised and said it would work with the town council to replant the affected areas.

Posting pictures of the dying flowers on Facebook, Bertie Daler‎, who had voluntarily spent time tending the area, said: "Job well done Dorset Council.

"Poppies and Hollyhocks well and truly eradicated. Bees and butterflies are going to be very disappointed."

Sharon Hodges described the act as "absolutely shocking", while Lynda Middleton said it was "very sad to see".

Ken Buchan, coast and countryside service manager at Dorset Council, said: "Unfortunately, one of our grounds maintenance team made a mistake here, and we apologise wholeheartedly.

"The grounds maintenance team took on extra responsibility for additional sites following local government reorganisation in April.

"A number of those sites had not been maintained for some time and we have been working to clear them so that we can assess future maintenance needs.