Giant Pumpkin Record

On October 6, 2025, two brothers—Ian and Stuart Paton—set a new world record for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown. The champion pumpkin beat the old world record by about 70 pounds. It also set a new record for its size.

Ian and Stuart Paton are twins. They're now 64 years old. They have been growing pumpkins together for more than 50 years. And for much of that time, they have been trying to break the world record for the heaviest pumpkin.

But the brothers live in the United Kingdom, where the weather can make it hard to grow giant pumpkins. Record-setting pumpkins have often come from places with steady (stable) warm weather all through the summer. The Patons have found ways to improve their growing methods and the conditions for their pumpkins over the years. They now grow their pumpkins in a greenhouse, which helps protect them from the unpredictable weather.

They've come close to the record before. In 2022, they set the British record for the heaviest pumpkin with a 2,656-pound, 9-ounce monster.

But the competition for the world record is strong. It may be surprising, but many of the people competing consider pumpkin-growing a "sport". More and more people are interested in planting pumpkins.

The brothers are Harry Potter fans, and the names of their pumpkins often come from these books. Their new, record-breaking pumpkin is called "Muggle".

It set two new Guinness World Records. It's officially the world's heaviest pumpkin, weighing 2,819 pounds and 4 ounces. That's heavier than many cars. And it's also the largest pumpkin by circumference (distance around), measuring 21 feet, 3.8 inches.