Hundreds of the plants were lost along five miles of main road on the Lizard during work on a sewage plant.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust also says verges have been turned into mud.

South West Water says damage was caused by motorists driving on verges between temporary traffic lights while work was going ahead on the sewage works.

It's not appropriate to be digging up bluebells and orchids at this time of year Victoria Whitehouse, Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Victoria Whitehouse, Cornwall Wildlife Trust's conservation manager, said: "It was a wonderful verge, quite typical of a lot in Cornwall at this time of year with lovely grasses, pink campions, bluebells and orchids, all in flower and looking very beautiful.

"It's also host to a lot of wildlife with amphibians emerging at this time of year.

"It's really disappointing to see it turned into a big pile of mud."

She said road safety was important, but the work could have been done at another time of year.

"Really it's not appropriate to be digging up bluebells and orchids at this time of year."

Cornwall County Council's area surveyor, Paul Wilkinson, said: "Inevitably damage was done by contractors' plant and by through-traffic running on the verges.

"We have now asked the contractors to reinstate those verges .

"I am sure that much of that growth that has been disturbed and looks relatively untidy at the moment will in the fullness of time reinstate itself."