TWO cultivators of colossal vegetables from Gwent won a host of awards at the East of England giant vegetable competition last Sunday.

Ian Neale, 72, of Magor Road, Langstone and Cwmbran resident Kevin Fortey, aided by his nine-year-old son Jamie Courtney-Fortey, achieved seven first places across the 14 produce categories.

In the process, Mr Neale set a new British record for a tomato – 6.1 pounds – while Mr Fortey and his son met Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood.

On his record, Mr Neale said: “I’m already planning for next year – it’s like running a mile.

“You do it once and you just want to keep it going.”

He started growing vegetables in 1980s, progressing onto larger produce and eventually competitions.

He holds four world records but this labour of love started out as just an activity to keep himself busy.

“I spend about 60-80 hours a week tending to my vegetables, and it is great for a retired person like myself,” he said.

He took five first places for heaviest produce – cabbage, parsnip, swede, tomato and beetroot – while Mr Fortey claimed the £30 prize in the carrot and marrow division.

“I showed Paul Hollywood our first placed carrot and he described it as a mutant,” said Mr Fortey.

“We are like the Usain Bolt of the growing world – he wants to be the faster while we want the heaviest and largest vegetables.

He started growing large vegetables with his father at the age of five, and this love for growing giants is visible in the next generation of his family.

“There is something embedded in us that we just love this sport of growing huge items,” said Mr Fortey.

With just one show left this year at Aberglasney Gardens on October 26, he hopes to break the world record for the longest radish.

To take their sport to a wider audience, Mr Fortey has taken the sport online, with the creation of giantveg.co.uk as well as a Facebook group – Giant vegetable community.

“The group gives us the chance to reach out to the wider world and it is a unique thing,” he said.

“We have around 1,700 members and we post tips as well as interviews to help people achieve vegetables of this size.”