A POPULAR competition celebrating the best of weird and wonderful fruit and veg returns this year.
The Giant Vegetable Competition forms a major part of the RHS Malvern Autumn Show - which returns to the Three Counties Showground from September 23 to 25.
Expert growers will once again battle it out to win the coveted prize of heaviest or longest vegetable in the much-loved CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship.
Each year records are broken as growers show off their enormous fruit and veg, with representatives from the National Vegetable Society and Guinness World Records on-hand to judge the winners.
At the 2021 competition, four new Guinness World Records were set for the heaviest marrow (116.4kg), which is 22.7kg heavier than the previous record by Vincent Sjodin (from Wales).
Other records included heaviest aubergine (3.12kg) by Peter Glazebrook (from Nottingham), heaviest broad bean pod (106g) and longest leek (1.36m) both by Joe Atherton (also from Nottingham).
Competitors of all ages can get involved, with children from 5-15 years taking part in the junior sunflower classes to see who can grow the largest sunflower head.
Other family-friendly fun over the weekend includes the World of Animals showcase, the Top Dogs Arena, as well as a packed programme of free children’s activities including circus skills, croquet, giant Jenga and pedal tractors.
The Harvest Zone will celebrate the best of seasonal produce with a display of locally-grown vegetables, soft fruit and flowers housed in one of the UK's largest pavilions.
Tips for growing from the National Plant Society will be available and the Grow to Show competition will feature more than 175 classes of cut flowers, fruit and veg, succulents and pot plants.
Also taking place over the long weekend is the RHS Flower Show, featuring special guests including Gardeners’ World favourites Adam Frost, Arit Anderson and Frances Tophill.
The food and drink village will give visitors the chance to sample the region's best food and drink including Weston's Cider and the Festival of Perry.
Advance tickets to the Malvern Autumn Show cost £18.85 per person and children under 16 go free.
For further information or to book tickets see www.malvernautumn.co.uk or call 01684 584924.
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