Hi,
Thank you both for your replies. Asked Mum about the buds (as its her sandy soil it was growing in) but she said she pulled it up before then as someone told her it was a weed from America which is bad news and notifiable over there as the pollen is a severe irritant, but she can't now remember the name. I'll have a look at the Nicotina family and see if that jogs her memory.
Thanks again for your replies.