Clipstone gardener digs up spectacular squash weighing in at around 400lbs!

The voluminous veg was grown by Craig Pearson who had ‘big’ wins at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, recently.

Craig, a kitchen manufacturer from Clipstone, just won the heaviest cabbage, weighing 26.2kg, and was first in the novice category for the longest runner bean, measuring 65.3cm

But the green-fingered soon-to-be-dad, has now dug up a weighty contender in the latest battle of the giants at this weekend's Malvern Autumn Show in Worcestershire.

There, expert growers will compete in the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship for the heaviest or the longest vegetable titles. Each year, World Records are broken in many categories officiated by representatives from the Guinness World Records.

Keen gardener Craig, who is 30, who only started growing giant vegetables about two years ago, has taken to the hobby in a big way.

He says the big secret to his success is “genetics, the seed and a lot of love and care.”

The giant squash seeds were set in May, and it has taken about four months to grow.

Craig, who was helped by his partner Chloe Paulson, said: "It takes a lot of hard work and effort to grow a monster vegetable as big as this giant.

"You’ve to keep it warm, well fed, and keep it happy, it’s not easy. It is just like having a baby. It needs constant care and attention and they grow very quickly.”

Craig said Chloe has been a huge to help to grow the massive vegetable, as she had kept the weeds down.

"I’m hoping we’ll have a chance, but who knows. There will be a lot of competition at Malvern, it is the first time we have been down. We don’t know officially yet the weight, but it is approximately 400lbs,” Craig added.

The giant squash took the couple about 45 minutes to dig out of the ground.

"We had to be really, really carefully whilst digging it up, because they can pop. It’s quite nerve wracking,” Craig said.

Giant veg grower and former world record holder Joe Atherton, from Mansfield Woodhouse, who also won big at Harrogate with his giant beetroot and other veg, will also be competing at Malvern.

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