Visitors to Kew Gardens are being invited to steer clear of get up close to one of the world's smelliest flowers this week.

Titan Arum flower is said to be the world's worst smelling plant when it flowers once every seven years and its stomach-churning odor has even earned it the name 'corpse flower' in Indonesia.

But bosses at Kew Gardens think visitors will be flocking to smell some of their 12 Titan Arum which are due to flower - and smell - this week.

In the wild the unpleasant smell attracts flesh-eating beetles which get trapped and covered in pollen as they try to escape.

At Kew Gardens it is hoped the unpleasant smell will attract tourists who will get trapped in the shop and buy Kew branded books and gifts.