N RECENT weeks a home-grown pumpkin has tantalised customers peering into Andy Creese Butcher’s window, in Newent.

This is not because of its flavour but because of its size, and customers have been invited to guess the pumpkin's weight to raise money for two local gardening groups.

The winning closest guesstimate came from Dave Carpenter, who lives in Sedbury and has family connections in Newent.

A spokesperson for Newent in Bloom said “I can't imagine what he’ll say when he finds out.

"The 21.2kg pumpkin, that’s about 3 stone 4.5lbs in real money, is one of several grown by Newent resident Simon Large at nearby Pound Farm, where Kitchen Garden owner Neil Jones helps to teach gardening skills to people with disabilities."

The spokesman added: "Award-winning butchers Andy Creese’s hosted the weigh-in and provided part of the prize hamper, as did The George Hotel and The Circle Club, whose customers also chipped in their guesses to help raise over £100 for Newent in Bloom and The Veg-Out Zone, Newent’s community garden in Broad Street."

Newent town councillor Colin Thomas said: "Both groups are volunteer run, and depend on donations and fundraising efforts such as this to keep going."

A spokesman for the Veg-Out Zone said:"We’re very grateful for everyone’s support”

And the pumpkin? It seems it was the gift that kept on giving.

It was turned into soup or pies to raise even more funds at last Saturday's Newent Onion Fayre.