LEEKS the size of cricket bats and onions as big as bowling balls is just another day at the office for John Davies.

The 72-year-old from Chard has been growing mammoth vegetables for around 20-25 years and his latest 12lb 4oz onion could certainly bring a tear to the eye.

John, known as the onion and leek man in the town, said there is no secret to his work.

He said: “It is just about making sure the PH of the soil is right.

“For leeks, the soil needs to be high in lime and for really big onions the PH of the soil needs to be at 8.5.”

John grows his vegetables from a polythene tunnel in the garden of his home on Lyddons Mead.

He reaped success at Taunton Flower Show earlier this year, winning the blanche leek and heavy onion classes.

The 12lb 4oz onion beat John's previous personal best of 12lb while his leeks grow to around three feet high.

But John is confident his vegetables can be even bigger.

He said: “If you have the perfect weather, slightly breezy and cool along with the right PH, then they could get bigger.”

John eats some of his produce but tends to donate a lot of his food to family, friends and other community centres including care homes.

According to the Guinness World Records, the heaviest onion was grown by a man in North Yorkshire in 2012 and weighed just over 8kg (18lb 1oz).