In an English country garden

by Feòrag

England: An annual pumpkin growing competition between two villages has been scrapped after allegations of cheating.

he row broke out after the manager of a plant nursery in Milford-on-Sea, in Hampshire, led his village to victory by growing an 819lb (317kg) pumpkin in a greenhouse. Competitors from neighbouring Everton questioned the integrity of Ian Paton's win, arguing that all entered pumpkins should be grown without cover, on allotments and in gardens.

Milford fired back with counter claims of rule bending by Everton.

After members of Everton and Lymore Social Club retaliated with the claim that every entry should be grown from seeds of the Hundredweight variety - Milford gardeners traditionally favour Atlantic Giant seeds - the social club at Milford organised a meeting to thrash out the rules of the competition, to which no one turned up.

Row over pumpkin circumstance —The Grauniad, 31st October 2005.