Pumpkin crop fails for first time in 30 years

Jonathan Hewitt said it had been a "stressful time" for the farm

A Greater Manchester family farm has lost its pumpkin crop for the first time in 30 years because of bad weather.

The fields at Boundary Farm, Dunham Massey are usually full of pumpkins but the crop failed in June, shortly after the seeds were sown.

The farm normally produces over 150,000 pumpkins each year, but this year there are just 600.

Jonathan Hewitt of Boundary Farm, Dunham Massey said the family was "heartbroken" and invited people to come and pick apples instead ahead of Halloween.

The fields at Boundary Farm, Dunham Massey are usually full of pumpkins

Mr Hewitt said: "We drilled 45,000 pumpkin seeds and the period just after sowing it went very cold, it went very wet, and it just didn't happen.

"There is nothing worse than us having to say 'this has failed'."

The loss of the crop was a big blow as it would have generated half the farm's annual income.

"To lose such a big part of the farm's income is difficult.

"We had to think very quickly about what we do," he added.

Chris Hewitt said picking apples was "a way to come and enjoy the great outdoors"

Mr Hewitt and his brother Chris came up with the idea to let people come and pick apples instead.

Boundary Farm produces its own range of apple juice and cider.

"We have over 70 different varieties of apples here on the farm and we are looking at around 6,000 trees," Chris said.

As well as picking apples, visitors can see the traditional way of pressing them to create apple juice.

The brothers hope that in the longer term the apple picking will prove a more sustainable business than the single October crop of pumpkins.