It took the expertise of the British Army to safely deliver a giant pumpkin to a festival at Netley.

The 819lb specimen was was grown by Ian and Stuart Paton, of Pinetop Nurseries, Pennington, near Lymington.

It was the star attraction at the Jubilee Sailing Trust's sixth annual Pumpkin Festival, which was attended by around 700 people at the Royal Victoria Country Park. To get it there, the brothers called on the soldiers of 17 Port and Maritime Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps, based at Marchwood.

It broke the British record at its first weigh-in at the Milford and Everton pumpkin show earlier this month and it is expected to be crowned Britain's largest pumpkin when it goes to another show in Hertfordshire in a fortnight.

Ian and Stuart say their recipe for growing the massive specimen involved both old and new technology. They used the internet to find their ideal seeds and then used a whole ton of manure.

"In the next four years, I'd say we'll definitely have a pumpkin over 1,000lbs," added Ian.

Europe's pumpkin record stands at 1,200lb, being held by a French specimen, while a 1,440lb American pumpkin holds the world record.