Giant pumpkin seed sells for £1,250

Paul Hansord said it "may seem a high price to pay, but it will boost the genetics of UK plants"

A British firm has paid £1,250 for a single seed at auction.

The seed is from a pumpkin which weighed 2,323lbs (1,054kg) - believed to be a world record.

Ipswich-based seed company Thompson & Morgan won the auction which took place at the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth World Conference held in Hampshire.

Paul Hansord, a company director, said: "Getting hold of this seed is the equivalent of buying Red Rum for stud use."

Swiss grower Beni Meier with his record-breaking pumpkin in 2014

The £1,250 pumpkin seed next to "normal" seeds you would get in a packet

The 2,323lb pumpkin was grown in Switzerland in 2014 by Beni Meier and it holds the world record for weight, according to the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth organisation.

Thompson & Morgan sponsored the conference which took place in Lymington.

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The company is now looking for a grower who can nurture the seed on its behalf.

Mr Hansord said: "Our spend on the Swiss seed may seem a high price to pay, but it will boost the genetics of UK plants moving forward and give us the best chance of seeing the world title brought to the UK for the first time.

"We're looking for someone with the passion, dedication and time to produce a giant specimen."

The firm said the world record holder needed feeding with 150 gallons (680 litres) of fertilized water each day at its peak.