PICTURES: Is this eye-watering 27 INCH onion the biggest in Doncaster?

A whopping onion grown in Doncaster really is eye-watering - after measuring in at a whopping 27 INCHES.
David Stothard with his huge onion.David Stothard with his huge onion.
David Stothard with his huge onion.

Green-fingered gardener David Stothard has proved he really does know his onions - by growing a string of the whopping vegetables in his back garden.

And pensioner David, 74, is hoping the monster creations will be named the biggest in Doncaster at a show later this month.

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Despite the summer heatwave, David, who lives in Balby, has spent the last few months nurturing his pride and joy onions - but proud grand-daughter Ellie Bater says he's remaining tight-lipped about the secrets behind his success.

The monster onion David has grown in his Balby garden.The monster onion David has grown in his Balby garden.
The monster onion David has grown in his Balby garden.

Said Ellie: "He looks after his vegetables like they are his children.

"He really does spend hours looking after them and making sure they are the biggest and best they can be. He does have one or two tricks to grow them to that size but he's not prepared to reveal his secrets!"

As well as outsized onions, David has also grown colossal carrots - measuring in at 30cm and massive marrows too.

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And he's hoping his veg will prove victorious when he displays them at the annual Auckley Show later this month.

The whopping onions dwarf a normal size bulb.The whopping onions dwarf a normal size bulb.
The whopping onions dwarf a normal size bulb.

Ellie, 21, said: "It's the only show he's ever entered his vegetables into and he's hoping he'll do well. He's really started taking it seriously over the last ten years or so and starting growing big fruit and veg."

The onion measured a whopping 27 inches when he got his tape measure out a few days ago, prior to digging it up so it can dry out ahead of this year's show on August 18.

She added: "The weather this summer has made it difficult. They grow best at a constant temperature - he's been going around watering them and taking greenhouse glass out to make sure they don't get too hot."

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And even if he doesn't taste success at the competition, David's family are still set to be winners.

One of the whopping onions measures 27 inches.One of the whopping onions measures 27 inches.
One of the whopping onions measures 27 inches.

"He gives all his fruit and vegetables to the family," she added. "There's not much left after it's all gone around!"

The Guinness World Record for the globe's biggest onion belongs to gardener Tony Glover who grew a staggering 8.5 kilo (18lb 11.84oz) onion in 2014.

It was weighed at the Harrogate Autumn flower show in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK, on 12 September 2014.