THOUSANDS of pumpkins are waiting to be carved at York Maze as part of the annual week-long Halloween festival.

The event opens on Saturday and runs until Saturday, November 3, and includes more than 20 rides, events and activities including the Ghostmania Ride and the Phantomime show.

There will also be a competition to find the UK’s biggest pumpkin and one grower from Hampshire has already entered what he hopes will scoop the top prize of £500.

Twin brothers Ian and Stuart Paton, from Lymington, Hampshire, currently hold the UK record for the heaviest pumpkin, set in 2010, with a pumpkin weighing 1,504lb (682kg).

Ian said: “This year’s growing conditions have not been ideal and we had some difficulties with pollination. It looks like we won’t be breaking our own UK record this year but we have still managed to grow a 1,160lb (526kg) pumpkin, the equivalent of about five baby elephants, which we’re confident is the largest in the UK."

There will be displays of celebrity pumpkin carving, the opportunity to carve your own pumpkin, and the chance to win a gold pumpkin worth over £1,000.

For more information go to yorkmaze.co.uk