Colchester Foxes Farm warns it may run out of pumpkins

Guy and Emily French, of Foxes Farm Produce, have said the wet weather has had a "real impact" on their pumpkin harvest as they estimate they are about 30 per cent down on pumpkins this year.

The couple, who are both fourth-generation farmers, plant 25 pumpkin varieties, producing thousands for the wholesale market, as well as theme parks and other pumpkin patches.

They run two of the biggest pumpkin patches in East Anglia at their two farms, just outside Colchester and Basildon.

Mr French said: "We started the pumpkin patches ten years ago.

"The idea came to us after growing some pumpkins for our own wedding and they have become very popular.

"We really enjoy welcoming people to the farm to show them what we do."

However, due to the wet summer, the duo have advised the public to get their pumpkin picking done early this year.

This is because they cannot guarantee there will be enough pumpkins in stock to keep the pumpkin patches open all the way to Halloween.

Mrs French said: "The wet weather has had a real impact for pumpkin growers all over the UK."

"We are looking forward to some great events this year, but there does need to be some planning for the future to help all farmers to deal with the increasing extreme weather."

As well as pumpkin picking, visitors can enjoy a corn maze trail game, picnic, a giant inflatable pillow pumpkin, a bale mountain, sack races, football goals, a scavenger hunt, farm obstacles, and refreshments including pumpkin-flavoured beer, cider and hot chocolate.

There will be twilight pumpkin picking, where brave Halloween enthusiasts can navigate the corn maze in darkness, for a spooky night time experience.

The Frenchs' pumpkin patches have proved popular with celebrities, with Stacey Solomon and Denise van Outen among the famous faces who have visited over the years.

Visitors can check foxesfarmproduce.co.uk/pumpkin-picking-essex or the company’s social media each day to check if the pumpkin patches are open.