WARMER weather is believed to have caused a lilac tree to bloom in November for the first time in 40 years.

Marion Hunt, of Ffordd Penrhwylfa in Meliden, could hardly believe it when she spied tiny little flowers on the tree in her front garden.

She felt it was “very rare” for the fragrant tree to bloom in November and put it down to global warming or a changes in seasons.

The large tree, which Marion says has been there about 35 to 40 years, usually blooms in May.

”I couldn’t believe it. I said to myself when I saw it, ‘what is that?’,” said Marion, who has lived at her home for 41 years.

“It has never ever bloomed this late in the year.”

“Lilacs only usually last two weeks. I have never known for it to bloom in November. It is so unusual. I can’t get over it.

“It is just amazing. They are tiny little blooms and the smell is beautiful.”

, Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) chief horticulturist Guy Barter said: “It is indeed most unusual for a lilac to flower in November.

”However trees and shrubs are rather variable and sometimes flower out of season.

”In my experience you seldom get many flowers when this happens. On the other hand it seldom reduces spring flowers so it maybe that this lilac will now flower in spring.

“Lilacs often have a long period of no flowers after hard pruning and it may be that this tree is settling down to flower again regularly.”