AN EIGHT-year-old boy from Trellech has topped the scales in a school pumpkin-growing competition.

 Staff at Monmouth School Boys’ Prep had difficulty putting Drew White’s whopping 76.1kg pumpkin on to the weighing scales.Four members of staff lifted the Year 4 pupil’s mammoth fruit on to the scales for an accurate reading. Nine-year-old Rafe Llewelyn grew the second heaviest pumpkin which weighed in at 62.9kg, while Tom Butt, 9, was third with 33.4kg. It was the first time Monmouth Schools Pre-Prep and Nursery pupils entered the event and the children deservedly won the ’Youngest Growers’ award. The nursery pupils cleaned, dried and decorated Poppy the Pumpkin, which they had grown in the school grounds. Nine-year-old Arthur Skeates’ pumpkin won a prize for the best colour, while eight-year-old Seb Shaw’s fruit topped the ’Most perfect shape’ section and nine-year-old Oliver Maunder scooped the ’Most perfect Cinderella-like carriage’ award. Headteacher at Monmouth School Boys’ Prep, Mr Neil Shaw, said: "Everyone who took part this year should be very proud of their efforts and it was lovely to include the children at Monmouth Schools Pre-Prep and Nursery for the first time. "Growing a pumpkin successfully takes months so the children showed patience, nurturing skills and excellent judgement. The competition was incredibly high and I am sure it will prove even more popular next year."