A green-fingered family has smashed records for the world's tallest potato plant.
Towering at more than 6ft 10ins (2.1m), the Fortey family's spud plant has had a good summer to say the least, climbing higher than any other recorded on earth.
But the impressive feat isn't dad Kevin Fortey's first - the veg lover has already amassed five world records for his produce and during lockdown used his skills to feed his entire street.
Having already been recognised for his vegetables and sunflowers, this time Kevin enlisted some help from family members and neighbours for his potato plant this time around and even rigged up security cameras to watch it flourish.
The 44-year-old set up a Ring doorbell camera in his greenhouse to monitor the plant's growth over the summer, constantly keeping it watered throughout the record-breaking heatwaves.
He said: "I put the cameras in there to keep an eye on it from my phone to see whether it needed any extra attention.
"I was really worried during the heatwave that it wouldn't survive as the greenhouse reached temperatures of 50C.
"The cameras helped me see if it needed any more water - and that's where my family and friends came in to help.
"It was drinking up the water like no-one's business during the heatwave and we were taking it in turns to constantly place a tray of water under it and check the compost."
It has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records as one of their giant vegetables.
Kevin, of Cwmbran, South Wales, smashed the previous world record of 145cm with his 210cm plant but says he might not stop there.
He added: "We have another potato plant in the greenhouse too. I'm hoping that this one might grow even taller."
Kevin holds the record jointly with his son Jamie, 16, mum Marjorie, 76, brother Gareth, 42, and neighbour Kyle Phillips, 40, who all helped with the plant's care.
He said: "We needed some babysitters to look after the plant when we were away and on holiday so they all helped out.
"The secret of the success is the nurturing really. We made sure we took really good care of it."
Kevin's other records are for the world's heaviest marrow and beetroot, the longest chilli, longest radish, largest sunflower leaf and heaviest sunflower head.
The family has become well-known for their gargantuan veg after Kevin's dad, Mike Fortey, set up the British National Pumpkin Championships in the early 1980s following a friendly competition with friends from their local pub.
