New Zealand's ugliest pumpkin winner announced

A wart-covered pumpkin has been awarded the ugliest pumpkin prize at the inaugural Not the Biggest Pumpkin Festival. The crusty veggie took out the prize over other non-traditional pumpkins of all shapes and sizes at the event, held at Kaponga's Hollard Gardens.

The festival celebrated all kinds of pumpkins and featured several categories including biggest, carving or decoration, ugliest, smallest and tastiest. Around 100 people were there to celebrate the occasion and the nasty weather was kept away from the prized winter squashes by a large tarpaulin.



Ugliest pumpkin grower Mark Christensen said his strange-looking vegetable was a surprise find. "It had been covered in leaves so when we uncovered it we thought wow, this is different," Mr Christensen said.

But despite his prize-winner's appearance, it has not put him off eating it. "I think it will be good for soup," he said.