Stone me! My pumpkin (weight 5st) is heavier than I am says Luke (weight 4st 13lbs) (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Stone me! My pumpkin (weight 5st) is heavier than I am says Luke (weight 4st 13lbs)

Picture Ref: 99854-47AT a hefty 70lbs, 10-year-old Luke Gibbs' prize pumpkin weighs in at a pound heavier than he does.

Luke, who lives in Wootton Bassett, is a keen gardener and has been helping his retired grandfather Glyn Lewis, 67, on his allotment in Church Street, Wootton Bassett, for several years.

The two spend most Sunday mornings at the allotment and often visit it after school, and sometimes eat fish and chips there together.

This year, however, Luke has his own allotment which he tends to and pays for himself.

Luke sent off for the pumpkin seeds after seeing them advertised in a gardening magazine he was reading on holiday in Lanzarote this year.

Although he has been growing pumpkins for a couple of years, Luke has never had one weighing more than 10lbs before.

So a 70lb pumpkin was extremely exciting for him.

Mr Lewis said: "He even beat me this year.

"I grew one weighing 45lbs which I was pleased with but then his weighed in at 70lbs. He beats me in everything!"

The pumpkin is ready in time for Halloween on October 31.

Luke and his brother Ben are intending to hollow out and carve the pumpkin.

They plan to put a light in it and hang it in pride of place on the side of the garage.

With the scooped out flesh he intends to make pumpkin wine. This year Luke, who goes to St Bartholomew's School, also grew a record of 35 marrows, from which he made a gallon of marrow wine.

Along with some home grown sweetcorn he generously put the marrows outside his house encouraging neighbours to help themselves.

Luke said that he was proud and surprised by his achievement and is eager to grow more giant fruit and vegetables.

Carving started in Ireland

Pumpkins originated in Central America and can be found on six out of seven continents, all except Antarctica.

Native Americans used dried pumpkins to weave mats and believed they could be used to remove freckles and cure snake bites.

A pumpkin is a fruit and is 90 per cent water. It is a member of the Cucurbita family, which includes squash, cucumbers and gherkins.

The tradition of pumpkin carving came from Ireland where the inhabitants carved turnips.

When they emigrated to America they found plenty of pumpkins, which were much easier to carve.

Today carved Jack o' Lanterns are an established symbol of Halloween, some people even partake in extreme pumpkin carving using power tools.

The largest pumpkin pie ever made measured 5ft in diameter and weighed more than more than 350lbs.

Amy Mathieson