THIEVES were so green with envy they pinched Alf Shacklady's man-size orange pumpkin from out of his back garden.

Pensioner Alf, from Princes Avenue, Blackmoor, Tyldesley couldn't believe his eyes when he went to water his baby and could only stand and stare at the bare patch where the 10 stone mammoth had been.

Renowned for growing giant vegetables and donating them to good causes, Second World War veteran Alf was stunned when it was stolen by thieves who broke the lock off his garden gate in last week's night time raid.

"I treated it like a baby. It weighed between 130 and 150 pounds and was 21 inches in diameter," said Alf in disbelief.

"I watered it every morning and had fed it every night for the past four months. At the rate it was growing it could have reached over 200 lbs.

"I know Halloween is only a few weeks off and I can see the funny side of its disappearance -- it would certainly stand out in a crowd. It was the biggest I have ever grown. Somebody must know where it is."

For years Alf has been raising money for charity using his giant size vegetables and intended donating the monster to a local school.