WHEN it comes to growing pumpkins, few can beat Jimmy Reid.

The 81-year-old former demolition man has a UK growers title under his belt and is a regular at shows in North Yorkshire.

But Mr Reid also seems set to scare off the competition in York today.

Answering a challenge to all-comers to bring the best specimens to a Halloween competition at the National Railway Museum, he made the journey yesterday.

Weighing in at 470lbs, his prize pumpkins needed special transport - and organisers have confirmed they would be hard to beat.

"I've had bigger," said Mr Reid yesterday. "The one that won the UK title was 595lbs but my biggest weighed 680lbs.''

Mr Reid hopes the pumpkins will survive the journey back home to Gilling West where they are due to go on show outside the village pub.

"It won't be long before they start to wither; after that we'll cut them up and keep the seeds ready for planting next April,'' he said.