A COMBINATION of a wet June and a very dry late summer has led to Clacton enjoying its biggest pumpkins in a century.
Richard Swinbourne has grown what the London Road allotments believes is its biggest pumpkin – weighing 232 pounds or 16st 8lbs - since the allotments were opened in 1918.
Geoff Beales, allotments secretary, said the allotments’ pumpkin competition at the allotments attracted 16 growers.
“We were very pleased with the turnout and this is certainly the biggest pumpkin we have ever seen here,” he said.
Mr Swinbourne, who has attended the allotments for eight years, won two rosettes as well as a cup, since he also grew the site’s second largest pumpkin.
The 72-year-old former heating engineer and gasfitter has only grown pumpkins once before. He credited his success on “tender love and care” plus “normal fertiliser.”
Britain’s largest ever pumpkin weighed 1,330 pounds and was grown this year in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex.
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