Is this the biggest tomato in Sussex?

The monster tom has been grown by former restaurant-pub manager Pietro Pistocchi in the garden of his home in Vale Road, Haywards Heath.

It weighs in at around a kilo and measures about 53 cms - 21 inches - around its circumference.

Italian-born Pietro, who has lived in Mid Sussex for more than 40 years, is not sure if it’s the largest he’s ever grown ‘but it’s the biggest this year.’

“Every year I grow tomatoes,” he said, “and this year they are very big. It could be the hot weather.”

The whopping mountain tomato was grown from seed supplied by Seeds of Italy and is thriving in Pietro’s garden along with courgettes, runner beans, chilli peppers, cabbages, lettuce, apples, pears, grapes - and more.

“Last year I made 20 bottles of wine from the grapes,” said Pietro, 81. “I gave them to my friends - and they came back for more.”

Although Pietro’s tomato is a whopper it doesn’t quite measure up to the current heaviest world record - a variety called Domingo grown in New York by Steve and Jeanne Marley.

That one weighed in at a massive 4.377kg - 9lbs 10.4oz - in September last year.

But have YOU grown a tomato bigger than Pietro’s? We would like to hear from you. Send details and a photo to [email protected]