Giant vegetables on show at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show

Jack-O'lan-tonne: Richard Mann's giant pumpkin weighed in at 45 stone (291.7kg)

Green-fingered wizards have been lugging massive marrows, plumped-up pumpkins and beefy beetroots to Harrogate for its annual giant vegetable competition.

The face-off is a perennial favourite among the 40,000 visitors to the Yorkshire spa town's Autumn Flower Show.

Competitors in 13 classes tend to their oversized crops year-round in the hope of taking the coveted title of heaviest or longest.

Parsnips, leeks, cabbages, potatoes, carrots, rhubarb, runner beans and cucumbers are among the prodigious produce touted by their proud growers.

Agri-bargy: Craig Pearson's champion giant cabbage dwarfed the competition, weighing in at a whopping 4st 4lb (27.4kg)

Gourd almighty: Graham Barratt is extremely proud of his giant cucumber, which is 36in (92cm) long

Size matters: Judges at the Great Yorkshire Showground meticulously measure each entry before crowning a winner. The event has been held there since 1995 after outgrowing its previous venue

Two-man job: Some entries, such as this giant marrow, are too much for one person to manage. The 2019 Autumn Flower Show will be the last one held in Harrogate, as the event is to move about 15 miles (24km) to stately home Newby Hall next year

Show director Nick Smith said: "Any good attraction or event should regularly review what it is able to offer and ensure that it stays both relevant and vibrant for its visitors"

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