A TOWERING Mexican plant that only flowers once in its lifetime has burst into bloom – in Seaton.

The agave has sent a rapidly-growing stem up to a height of more than 25 feet during the summer in John and Marion Pengelly's garden.

'The agave was in the garden when we moved in, but my parents lived here before then, from 1979, and as far as I can remember it was there then. Its spikes were very painful if you backed into them while cutting the grass,' said Marion. 'Our garden is right on the cliff edge and we are open to all weathers, with strong winds from the sea, but the agave has never received any special care and seems quite a hardy plant.'

Marion and John said that the yellow blooms are attracting a huge number of bees and they hope that once all the flowers have bloomed and the plant has died back, there will be some new plants at the base.