Grandad grows 'whopper' first pumpkin in garden

Fred Ramsey, 91, from Snaith, with his whopper of a pumpkin

A grandfather has spoken of his surprise after the first pumpkin he has ever grown turned out to be "a right whopper".

Fred Ramsey, from Snaith, said he put a pumpkin seed in his compost, did not water or feed it and "it just grew from there".

The 91-year-old said he would give the fulsome fruit to his grandson, Matthew, who joked he would have to carve it using a saw.

"I can't understand why it's got so big because I haven't done anything," Mr Ramsey said.

He suspected the secret to helping his first ever pumpkin grow so large must be the hen droppings - which act as a nutrient-rich fertiliser - in his compost.

Mr Ramsey said he was surprised at how much attention his pumpkin had been getting

His neighbour, Wendy Hollas, said Mr Ramsey normally turned up at her door with eggs, but last week arrived with the portly pumpkin.

"It's very impressive, it's huge," she said.

The Mayor of Snaith, Joanne Whiteley, said: "Wowzer, it's just amazing.

"I don't think I'd like to carve it. I'm sure it would make a good pumpkin soup."

Yvonne Bellwood, the town's assistant clerk, added: "It's amazing, it's a right whopper."

Mr Ramsey said he would now plant another pumpkin using a seed from the large one.

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