ALE and hearty!

That's a massive 8ft 10ins tall sunflower which has been nurtured by a mixture of beer and water!

And because the sunflower has grown like topsy, proud nine-year-old Nathan Harrison now has to use stepladders to water the plant.

Nathan, of Beech Grove, Greenmount, grew the sunflower after getting a free packet of seeds with his favourite comic, the Dandy. He is pictured reading the comic alongside the huge sunflower.

After planting the seeds in May, the Greenmount CP school pupil watched in amazement as the sunflower grew and grew.

And the pint-sized youngster has been feeding it a diet of beer and water which has helped the flower achieve such a massive height.

Nathan's mum, Louise said: "He treasures the sunflower. He waters it first thing in the morning and then again when he comes back home from school.

"Nathan planted ten seeds, six of which have flowered. And this one in particular is still growing."