A BARRY primary school has thrown down a Halloween gauntlet to the town’s green-fingered fraternity by wheeling out a giant-sized pumpkin.

Youngsters at Palmerston primary took delivery of the Palmerston allotment-grown squash which weighed in at 60kg and measured 128cm at its largest point.

The world record for the heaviest pumpkin was recorded in October 2013 when Tim Mathison, of the USA, presented a 921.7kg exhibit at the Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Park in Napa, California.

But the Barry school’s attempt, grown next to their patch, and part of their Harvest Festival, will now be carved into a jack o’lantern by new owner Rachel Cross and a pumpkin pie by her mum, Pam Rossiter, 52.

Rachel, 34, of Barry, made a donation to the school for the giant vegetable.

She said: “I do carving and we are having a Halloween party and I thought it would be perfect.”

The pumpkin will be fully re-cycled with the seeds inside returned to the school for it and its eco-committee to ensure its gardening expert pupils and staff produce more extreme pumpkins.

Palmerston Primary is taking part in the Morrisons Let’s Grow scheme and welcomes any unwanted vouchers.