A CWMBRAN prize-winning vegetable grower famed for his giant produce has been chosen as the official grocer for Alton Towers Resort’s new restaurant - in a bid to make the menu ‘more enchanting’.

Kevin Fortey, 36, who is the proud owner of a four foot marrow will supply his gargantuan ingredients to new restaurant ‘The Crooked Spoon’, which is part of the new Enchanted Village, opening in April next year.

His impressively large vegetables include a 1000lb pumpkin that is big enough to make 8,056 slices of pumpkin pie, and a four foot marrow that would produce enough soup for 308 people. Mr Fortey’s harvest also includes two-foot long orange cucumbers, boulder-sized beetroots and radishes longer than your arm.

He was contacted by Alton Towers several weeks ago after being chosen for growing the UK’s biggest marrow.

Mr Fortey’s late father Mike was the founder of the British National Pumpkin Championships in the 80s and was instrumental in developing the art of giant vegetables, growing and developing the giant vegetable movement in the UK.

He said: “Growing giant vegetables is a family tradition which I’ve been fascinated by my entire life. I grew my biggest ever marrow this year, weighing over 12 stone, which is the current UK record, and it was a huge achievement.”

Mr Fortey and his brother Gareth, who run Giant Vegetables, are considered one of the top growers in the UK and have featured on tv shows such as Gardeners World and won the Great British Village Show in 2007 for the UK’s heaviest marrow.

“I was approached by Alton Towers Resort several weeks ago after they saw an online article about me and asked me if I would be interested in supplying their new restaurant,” he said.

“This is a major accomplishment and will take giant vegetables to a new level. It’s the first time I’ve been asked to supply a restaurant and am looking forward to sending my giant Welsh beetroot’s, marrows and pumpkins to Staffordshire.

“Alton Towers Resort is the first company I know of that is actually committing to using these amazing and oversized vegetables in their everyday cooking,” Mr Fortey added.

“I can’t wait to try some of the dishes they’ll be creating. I’m sure they’ll be plenty to go around.”

Simon Jones, head chef at The Crooked Spoon praised Mr Fortey’s pumpkins.

He said: “We want to make everything about The Enchanted Village completely captivating and that commitment extends to the produce we plan to use in the Crooked Spoon kitchens.”

“Why would we want to use ordinary pumpkins when we can use an absolute giant like Kevin’s? It tastes just as good and I can’t wait to start using his vegetables in my recipes when we open in April.”

The Enchanted Village will house 120 woodland lodges five luxury tree-houses alongside children’s play areas and The Crooked Spoon restaurant.