Linton gardener takes away first prize at show for his extra large leeks

A Linton gardener known for his humongous vegetables has impressed judges once again, this time with his extraordinarily large leeks.

Green-fingered Brian Storer, 70, has been growing vegetables for many years and his dedicated preparation has seen him produce some magnificent stock.

Throughout the year, his passion has seen him rack up an array of prizes and this season it was time for his leeks to shine at the Malvern Autumn Show in Worcestershire.

Brian, of Princess Avenue, said: "It was the big show of the season for us and I was really excited to show off the vegetables.

"The preparation of the vegetables takes up a lot of time and planting and it can be quite a long drawn-out job so it is always nice when they are ready to be shown off to all the other gardeners."

Among the chilli plants and red cabbages Brian entered was a pair of whopping leeks, which took the first prize for their size.

Brian said: "We came away with lots of prizes so we were really pleased, but it was great to see the leeks get first prize as they were the star of the show.

"The event was fantastic and it is always a main stage show for us. We love the atmosphere and the venue and whenever I go I always stay for three nights and treat it as a bit of a break.

"The show was at the Three Counties Showground and it is beautiful there.

"I am over the moon to come away with more prizes and it is great to see the hard work paying off but I love it; it is my passion.

"I have had some really positive comments about my vegetables and I think this shows just what local people can do."

Brian has always had a passion for all things gardening and when he is not tending to pumpkin patches and petunias, Brian also raises money for charity with his open garden events.

After the tragic death of his wife Helen in 1996, Brian began raising money for local charities and has since raised more than £90,000.

He will next be showing his face at Jackson’s Nurseries in Swarkestone on October 28 and 29 when he will be sponsoring the Derbyshire Horticultural Association’s 102 annual show.