A COUPLE is expecting to welcome thousands of Halloween lovers onto their farm over the coming weeks.

Guy and Emily French run Foxes Farm Produce, in Halstead Road, Colchester, and they opened their annual pumpkin patch last Sunday.

The Foxes Farm Produce pumpkin patch is in operation weekdays 10am to 4pm and weekends from 9am to 5pm.

The husband-and-wife duo also run a pumpkin patch just outside of Basildon.

Orange - some of the pumpkins available at the Foxes Farm Produce pumpkin patchesOrange - some of the pumpkins available at the Foxes Farm Produce pumpkin patches (Image: NFU) General admission tickets to the Colchester site cost between £5.50 and £7.

Once at the patch, you are then able to choose your pumpkin, take part in the corn maze trail, and enjoy many different photo opportunities.

Mr French said: “We started the pumpkin patches 10 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.”

Refreshments such as pumpkin-flavoured beer, cider, and hot chocolate are also available for an additional fee.

Happy - Guy and Emily French with some pumpkinsHappy - Guy and Emily French with some pumpkins (Image: NFU) The Colchester farm also offers a “twilight pumpkin picking” experience where attendees can visit the farm at night.

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

Mr and Mrs French are both fourth generation farmers, who- normally plant 25 pumpkin varieties, and produce thousands for the wholesale market.

Mr French said: “We felt we had to diversify our business and fortunately there has been great interest from the public.”

According to the National Farmers Union (NFU), the rain over the summer has significantly impacted this year’s pumpkin harvest for growers across Britain.

The couple are now backing the NFU’s calls for a proactive flood management plan for all Environment Agency controlled watercourses to protect all farmers, and communities, from the impact of flooding.

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.”

To find out more about Foxes Farm Produce, visit foxesfarmproduce.co.uk/pumpkin-picking-essex.