It looks like a vetch, although most of them are purple. I'm not brilliant at identifying plants though, so wait and see what others say!

I thought the same as the leaves seem like a Vetch, but the petals on vetch tend to be more rounded at the end and yours seem to be pointed so I'm not too sure now.

its white vetch.

try Galega officinalis or goats rue. I have this in the garden. a good plant and mine is more lilac and white.

Lathyrus ochroleucus? Definitely not a native

Thankyou Seaburngirl it is Galega officinalis. It is 2 to 3ft high, with a longish flowering period and very pretty. I have been trying to find out about this for about a year.

Hurray, I thought goats rue too - we had this in my childhood but ours was lilacy coloured. Never seen it since.

Coincidentally there are two plants growing together. One is lilacy and the other white. I think I will buy some of the seeds as they are so pretty, unless I can harvest from these plants.

They are surrounded by nettles and other weeds, so must have come frome someones garden.

they are a native or a very old escapee and will produce seed in a pod. so collect some and grown on and you will get white , lilac and two tone ones. I love them.

That's why I was so keen to find out what they are, because I think they are lovely. Will seed produce lilac or white plants, or do I have to have seeds from specific coloured plants? Once they have died back, and seeds ready, I wont be able to remember which are which.

they could come from either plant depends how they have cross bred. collect seed and label the envelop which plant it came from. I've been collecting seed this morning and for once labelled the envelopes as I have gone along.