An amateur gardener is nurturing his giant pumpkin in preparation for an RHS competition later this month.

Ben White, from Maldon in Essex, has grown his biggest pumpkin to date weighing about 1,200lb (544kg) - and still growing.

The 37-year-old is documenting the rise of the mighty vegetable, named Gladys, on social media, to raise money for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance charity.

Gladys will compete at the RHS Malvern Autumn Show over the last weekend of September.

Even though the weight of his pumpkin is similar to that of a small car, it is less than half the weight of the Guinness World Record title holder.

Gladys was pollinated on 30 June and at her peak was growing 40lb (18kg) a day.

Months of preparation, studying irrigation, and carefully controlled water and nutrition went into growing the giant vegetable.

White works as an underfloor heating designer, but grows vegetables inside a 60ft (18m) polytunnel at a local farm in his spare time.

He also grows tomatoes, peppers, chillies, watermelons and sweet potatoes to avoid having to rely heavily on supermarkets.

"There is something incredibly satisfying about walking on to the plot and bringing home food you've grown yourself," said White.

In 2021 he became the first grower to showcase a giant pumpkin inside the Great Pavilion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

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