Ian Paton’s 2,856.8-pound pumpkin sets new world record

Ian Paton’s pumpkin world record now weighs 2,856.8 pounds. The 65-year-old grower from Lymington, Hampshire, brought his pumpkin, Bagheera, to a Berkshire weigh-off, where it was confirmed as the world’s heaviest by Guinness World Records judge Sebastian Suski, according to the BBC.

Bagheera tipped the scale at 1,295.8 kilograms and measured more than 20 feet around, the BBC reported. UPI said the official weigh-in took place Oct. 3 at the Wargrave Nursery Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off.

How did Ian Paton’s pumpkin break the world record?

Paton beat a mark he had previously held with his twin brother, Stuart. Their 2025 pumpkin, Muggle, weighed 2,819.25 pounds, UPI reported.

That puts Bagheera 37.55 pounds ahead of the prior record. The new pumpkin was grown over about four months, according to the BBC.

Paton told the BBC that caring for Bagheera took up to six hours a day. He also said the pumpkin received about 130 gallons of water daily while it was growing.

The BBC reported that Paton and Stuart had grown giant pumpkins together for more than 50 years, but this was the first time Ian entered the competition alone.

Where can people see Bagheera?

Bagheera is on display for the next few weeks at Sunnyfields farm near Southampton, according to the BBC and UPI. After the display ends, Paton said it is intended to be used as cow feed.

Footage of the record pumpkin is available in an Instagram post embedded by UPI and in a public YouTube upload dated Oct. 6. The YouTube video is listed under the account Mark 1333; the available information does not establish it as an official upload by Paton, the BBC or Guinness World Records.

This story draws on original reporting from UPI.