TWO Hampshire men have narrowly failed to set a new record for the world's heaviest pumpkin.
Twins Ian and Stuart Paton were hoping to smash the existing record, set by a grower who produced a prize specimen that weighed in at 2,702.9lbs.
People attending today's show at Sunnyfields Farm in Jacobs Gutter Lane, Totton, were hoping the Patons' entry would prove even mightier.
But it tipped the scales at 2,332.5lbs - 370lbs too light to take the title.
Ian and Stuart, who have spent the past 120 days watching it grow from something the size of a golf ball to a gourd with a 20ft circumference, were given a warm round of applause from families stood watching the action.
The Lymington pair immediately vowed to enter next year's show and take another shot at the world record.
Growers from across the south took part in the event, which has replaced a similar attraction that was held at Netley Abbey for many years.
Heavy-duty lifting equipment was used to gently lower each pumpkin onto a large set of scales and then lift it off again a few moments later.
Some of the other gourds had to be moved out of the way to enable the larger of two fork lift trucks to collect the Patons' pumpkin and transfer it to the scales a few yards away.
A piece of paper was placed over the device's digital display to keep the weight a secret until the last possible second.
Despite missing out on the world record the Patons won the show.
Second place went to Oxfordshire grower Gerald Short, whose entry weighed in at 1,769.2lbs. He finished ahead of Wareham's Mark Baggs (1,351.4lbs), with Southampton father-and-son team Allan and Daniel Young (1,192.7lbs) coming fourth.
Allan and Daniel said they had spent a huge amount of time on their allotment, often arriving as early as 5.30am.
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