Imagine the anguish: grower José Rui Santos of Paderne had been watching a gigantic pumpkin grow everyday, ahead of the village’s ‘giant vegetable contest’, to be held in September. He was almost certain of carrying away the top prize … and then the massive thing went and burst – sweltering heat being blamed as the cause. At 730 kilos when it started splitting apart, José Rui estimated that by the time the competition came round, it could have reached 900 kilos … but for this pesky summer heat. Burst and oozing as it is, the massive vegetable “can now no longer participate” in Paderne’s vegetable competition.
