A YOUNG gardener from Malton has grown a huge sunflower which towers over his garden.

Green-fingered 11-year-old Curtis Stinton, who is starting at Malton School, has grown the vast plants in his back garden.

His mum Victoria says they have reached 12ft tall and have recently flowered.

The hot weather this summer has been good for sunflowers, which according to the Royal Horticultural Society website like to grow in full sun in well-drained soil.

The tallest sunflower ever, according to the Guinness World Records, was about 30ft and was grown by Hans-Peter Schiffer in Germany in 2014.

Have you grown a monster sunflower this year? Send your pictures to gazette@gazetteherald.co.uk.