A British pumpkin has broken the world record, weighing in at a staggering 1,295.8kg.
Ian Paton, 65, from Hampshire, broke his own world record on Saturday, October 3, at the Wargrave Nursery Giant Pumpkin competition, held in Reading.
He previously set the record in 2025 alongside his twin brother, Stuart, who have been growing pumpkins together for 50 years.
It was his first time entering the weigh-off on his own and he did not disappoint.
Mr Paton’s 2026 Guinness World Record pumpkin, named ‘Bagheera’ surpassed the weight of his 2025 predecessor, ‘Muggle’, by 17kg.
The 65-year-old described the four months in which he grew the pumpkin were “bloody hard work” as he tended to ‘Bagheera’ for up to six hours a day, providing it with 130 gallons of water.
It was measured and confirmed as a record breaker by official Guinness World Record judge, Sebastian Suski.
For the time being, Mr Paton’s pumpkin will remain on display at Sunnyfields Farm, Southampton, before being used to feed his cows in a few weeks’ time.
A British pumpkin has broken the world record, weighing in at a staggering 1,295.8kg
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INSTAGRAM: @IANPATON2269
Ian Paton broke his own world record on Saturday, October 3, at the Wargrave Nursery Giant Pumpkin competition, held in Reading
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INSTAGRAM: @IANPATON2269
A giant pumpkin mural can also be found at the farm, made up of over 10,000 pumpkins.
Despite an incredibly dry summer, Mr Paton was not alone in his triumph.
The late September Malvern Autumn Show, held in Worcestershire, saw an array of record vegetables, from beetroot to cucumbers.
Ian and his twin brother Stuart have been growing large pumpkins for decades, pictured here in 2010
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PA
Vincent Sjodin from Barry, Wales, broke the record for the heaviest beetroot, weighing 26.02kg, while also taking home the record for the heaviest sunflower head, weighing 7.808kg.
Meanwhile, Graham Barratt, Gloucestershire, turned heads with his winning cucumber, measuring at 7.598m high, smashing the 2024 record by over one metre.
The show also saw the heaviest sweetcorn kernel, the dandelion with the longest root, the longest tromboncino and the heaviest luffa.
Cultivators across the country said they had to work harder this year in the face of high temperatures and dry weather to keep their plants alive, with many not making it to the competition.
This year was described by Mr Barratt as “bonkers”. He said: “You’ve had to look after your plants more, you’ve had to keep them watered, fed… most things have finished too early for the show, so next year I think we have to learn to start the plants a bit later.”