Flowers left out for milk tanker drivers in memory of driver

Flowers are being left out with the milk in memory of Michael Fairclough. Photo / Stratford Press/Supplied

The woman behind the nationwide movement of leaving a flower out with the milk in memory of Michael Fairclough, says she is "blown away" by the response to her idea.

The tanker driver involved in the Patea collision last week was found dead at his Stratford home.

Hillary, a local cafe owner, says she was simply looking for a way to show she was thinking of Michael and his family when she placed a flower and a note on her milk vat for collection by a Fontera tanker.

She shared the idea with a few friends, who in turn shared it with a few more ... The idea was then shared in an online group for farming mums, "and that's when it went crazy", says Hillary.

Now, across the country, flowers are being left for tanker drivers to collect. "Open Country have also got involved so now it isn't just Fonterra families but the wider dairy community as well."

Hillary says the flowers collected around Taranaki will be delivered to the family by Fonterra, while the ones collected nationally will go to the local offices where they will be photographed.

"Last night when I saw our tanker driver, I just gave him a big hug. He said they had been collecting so many flowers."

Hillary says the media attention on her idea has been overwhelming. "It's important that the focus is on how we support each other and remember we are one community, it shouldn't be about me. I am simply a person who feels for Michael and his family and wants to support them."