An orchid which almost died out because of the rise of the car has been brought back from the brink after careful tending by conservationists.

The fen orchid is one of Europe's most endangered wildflowers and has now been limited to two areas of Britain, Kenfig sand dunes in south Wales and the fens of the Norfolk broads.

Numbers of the small plant with pale yellow blooms dwindled to less than 1,400 plants across the two areas as its habitat deteriorated.

But efforts to restore its dune and fen homes, sustained by long-term funding, have seen its fortunes turned around, and there are hopes it will soon be removed from the "red list" of Britain's most endangered species.

There are now 16,000 of the plants growing in the two sites and it is hoped they will be planted and tended across England.

The fens where they grow were previously actively managed for "marsh hay" for feed and bedding for horses in towns and cities, until the advent of the car, when land was drained for farming or became derelict and overgrown.

Tim Pankhurst, Plantlife's conservation manager for the East of England, said: "It's truly satisfying to see that years of painstaking work are paying off.