A keen vegetable grower is showing his 613lb pumpkin just in time for Halloween... which had to be weighed using scales used to weigh a car.

Ben White has put the giant pumpkin on display outside his home in Heybridge for the community to enjoy.

The 31-year-old first germinated the seed in April before it was pollinated in July and took 80 days top grow to its current size.

At its peak it was gaining over 130lb a week.

Ben, who began growing giant veg four years ago, is now hoping to grow a pumpkin to 1000lb.

He said: "Over the years It has become a bit of a hobby along with growing normal sized vegetables, I grow a lot of rare and hybrid chillies and Heirloom tomatoes in a 70ft polytunnel.

"It takes a lot of work to grow giant veg, lots of preparation work before planting and maintaining the plants health through the months of growth until over the finish line, each year is completely different to the last with the weather pattern.

"My main goal is to grow a pumpkin to 1,000lb."

These pumpkins consume over 1000 litres of water and are grown under a purpose built structure.

Ben said: "Pumpkins consumes a lot of water and feed so I use 1000 litre water tanks linked up to self-timed irrigation system.

"The pumpkin vines grow very quickly and require training so that the growth isn’t sporadic. I keep the pumpkin under a purpose built temporary structure to prevent the sun ripening the fruit too quick, basically forcing it to grow for longer.

"With the colder nights in September the pumpkin is wrapped in blankets to prevent it from slowing down growth.

"The main cost is the feed and the seed.

"Growing giant pumpkins does take up a lot of time like most hobbies, I enjoy the time and being outdoors and is good for your health. The more effort you put in the bigger the reward.