Woman grows giant pumpkin to ease heartache

A green-fingered mum is hoping her giant pumpkin will squash the competition at a vegetable show, after she turned to gardening to ease her heartache.

Measuring a metre across, the enormous fruit is literally off the scale, weighing in at up to 600Ib.

It is so big that judges of Jillcot Road Allotment’s Biggest Pumpkin Competition, in Solihull, plan to chop it up so they can weigh it at tomorrow’s contest.

The mammoth squash was the first pumpkin grown by amateur gardener Judy Cooper, who said its size was achieved completely naturally.

Judy, 55 - a former sales and recruitment worker - took up an allotment two years ago after suffering a double tragedy.

Her son Thomas died aged just 22 as he was being treated for psychosis at Solihull Hospital in January 12, 2012.

And her husband Michael was diagnosed with dementia at just 52.

Judy’s allotment has been so successful she has not had to buy vegetables all year.

She even makes her own jam and chutneys but her super-sized squash is her greatest achievement.