The courgette that won't stop growing

Novice courgette grower Maria Desimone has made her gardener dad green with envy after cultivating a 5ft 6in whopper at her first attempt. The 43-year-old was shocked to see the massive vegetable growing in her garden – and she hopes it will reach 6ft before she harvests it. She has a second specimen just short of 5ft.

Despite her dad Benito Maio having grown courgettes for several years, his daughter’s efforts at her garden in King’s Hedges, Cambridge, have left his specimens in the shade.

The housewife said: “I have never grown them before, but always wanted to. My dad has always grown them, but never as long and thick as this one. He’s really impressed.

“It’s not reached the floor yet, so I think it can grow another foot, so I’m not going to pick it just yet. When it’s grown as big as it can, I will cut it and cook it up. My aunties are wanting to have some of it too.