IT WAS enough to make a grown man weep - an onion weighing in at over 18lb has smashed the world record at an autumn show.

Show-stopping giant vegetables were in abundance at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, which opened on Friday.

Proving he really does know his onions, amateur gardener Peter Glazebrook exhibited the biggest onion ever grown, weighing in at a world-beating 18lb 1oz.

It broke his own previous world record he set last year of 17lb 15.5oz.

The grower, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, won all six giant vegetable classes.

He had also grown a marrow weighing 119lb and 12oz, plus the heaviest potato, the longest runner bean, the heaviest cabbage, the longest cucumber and the heaviest tomato.

Show organisers say Mr Glazebrook was able to carry his giant onion by hand to the show, but needed a wheelbarrow to transport a giant cabbage he had grown, which was over 4ft wide and weighed 81lb.

Harrogate strongman was brought in to signal the start of the show by lifting the mammoth marrow, which at eight stone 7lb is roughly the weight of a small person.

Camilla Harrison, a spokeswoman for the show, said: “Peter Glazebrook is very serious about vegetable growing and very successful.

“It’s just been a fantastic start to the show.”

The event at the Great Yorkshire Showground finishes today.