Great pumpkin tops 1,568 pounds

WARREN, R.I., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- A 1,568-pound pampered pumpkin was bumped from contention in the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin contest because it leaked.

Steve Connolly, 53, of Sharon, Mass., had hoped his big baby would break the world record for heaviest pumpkin, but it weighed in at 121 pounds less than the record and, in the end, was disqualified because of a leaking hole along a rib, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

"I think everyone's more disappointed about it than me," Connolly said. "The reason is, because I did it. They can't take the weight away from me. It gives me something to shoot for next year."

Top honors in Saturday's pumpkin weigh-off in Warren, R.I., went to Joe Jutras of North Scituate, R.I., whose pumpkin set the world record last year. Jutras's winning pumpkin this year weighed in at 1,507 pounds.

Jutras and Connolly said their pumpkins grew to such extremes with lots of water and a diet of manure, molasses and ground bone, blood and fish. Each of their pumpkins would make an estimated 5,000 pies, the Globe reported.