Fundraisers are aiming to break the world record for planting crocus bulbs in a bid to raise awareness of a crippling global disease.

Carshalton Rotary needs 600 volunteers to help plant 3000 bulbs in an hour during the event in Beddington Park. The current record stands at 331 people planting five bulbs or more in an hour.

Organiser Phil Blake, 65, a fencing contractor, said the event was designed to raise awareness of Rotary’s bid to eradicate polio worldwide by associating it with purple – the colour of a crocus.

Mr Blake, from Sutton, said: “When these flowers bloom in February they will look beautiful and will serve as a reminder for the campaign.

“In 2007 Bill Gates gave Rotary $100m (£65m) to help finish the polio eradication work, provided we match that sum over a three-year period.

“Now we are close to that target – there has not been a serious case of polio in India for the past six months, so this is the final push.”

Rotary’s involvement with polio began in 1979 when a handful of Rotarians sought to rid the Philippines of the disease, which was endemic in much of the world.

Thirty years later the charity is isolating the tiny pockets of polio outbreak and the rest of the world is polio free.

Mr Blake said the other side of the campaign would see dozens of doctors and dentists’ surgeries taking part and schools competing to see which students plant their bulbs in the most unusual pot.

The record-breaking attempt will take place on October 2 from 11am until noon, with registration at 10am.

Email philblake1@hotmail.com.