HALLOWEEN has been celebrated across the county this week – with fancy dress parties, spooky-themed fundraisers and plenty of carved pumpkins on display.

And one Herefordshire man, who is gaining quite a reputation for growing huge pumpkins, has been putting his skills to use for a good cause.

Matthew Rodgers, 35, joked last year that pollution from the busy A49 may have been the secret to producing five whopping plants – the largest of which measured 7ft in circumference – in his Edgar Street garden.

He took this year's giant pumpkin, which weighed in at exactly 70kg, to High Town in Hereford on Saturday where he collected donations for Spinal Research.

Mr Rodgers has been in a wheelchair himself for 17 years, having suffered a spinal injury when he fell backwards down a set of stairs.

He said: "It's a cause close to my heart as I have got a spinal injury myself. It would be nice to be able to help future generations, so they don't have to go through what I did.

"We raised around £380 on the day and £200 on the JustGiving page. If there are any charitable soup kitchens or restaurants who would like to take the pumpkin off our hands for a donation that would be great."

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/pumpkin-appeal

Families who visited the Old Market over the weekend were also able to take part in a pumpkin trail, hunting for carved pumpkins located in 10 of the development's retailers.