ASTONISHINGLY long vegetables have been popping up at horticultural shows across south Bucks in the last few weeks.

Leeks more than 4ft long, parsnips measuring 3ft and runner beans 15ins long have all been winning cups and prizes for being outstanding produce.

Entries to the High Wycombe Horticultural Show at Wellesbourne College, Kingshill Road, on September 2, were some of the biggest vegetables organisers have ever seen.

Jim Tanner, a member of the show's committee, said: "People put a lot of effort into their produce. They do all sorts of weird and wonderful things to get them that long. This year's leeks were the biggest I have ever seen. I certainly couldn't grow anything like that."

Mr Tanner revealed the impressive parsnips are grown through metal tubes in the ground to get them as deep into the ground as possible.

"The length of this year's entries was spectacular. We have never had so many exhibitors before. Some people came from as far away as the coast to take part. We had very long parsnips, carrots, leeks. The secretary, Bill Lewis, was thrilled to bits," he added.

Some lovingly grown runner beans came up trumps for Wreford Gibbs at the recent Marlow and District Horticultural Society Flower Show, held at Liston Hall, when they measured a lengthy 15 inches, and won the first prize.

Curly runner beans came in handy for a six-year-old lad from Marlow who won another category with his octopus, made using a marrow and curly runner beans for legs.