FAMILIES are getting into the spirit of Halloween snapping up pumpkins well ahead of the big day.

Tens of thousands of fruits have already been purchased and carved with six days still to go until October 31.

Where to pick your own pumpkin in Dorset and the New Forest for Hallowe'en

At Sopley Pick Your Own staff have planted a staggering 50,000 pumpkins and expect to sell them all within the next week.

Employee Marcus White told the Daily Echo: “Last year we had 44,000 pumpkins and we ran out two days before Halloween.

“We want to make sure there are enough to go round this year, particularly as Halloween is in the middle of the week so some parties might not take place until the weekend after.

“It’s been crazy this week. The weather’s been great and we’ve had hundreds of families here using the playground and using the picnic tables.”

News of the 50,000 pumpkins is not the first time the New Forest has hit the headlines in relation to Halloween this month.

Twin brothers Ian and Stuart Paton from Lymington squashed their own record for the UK’s heaviest pumpkin grown indoors this year.

The 57-year-old brothers grew a giant 174 stone (1,105kg) pumpkin and the record was confirmed at the Jubilee Sailing Trust Pumpkin Festival in Netley, Southampton.

Their previous record of 162 stone (1,028.7kg) was set last year.

The pair, who have been growing pumpkins since they were 11, hope to smash the world record one day.

The world record for the heaviest pumpkin currently stands at 187 stone (1,187.5kg) and was achieved in Germany in October 2016.

“We’re certainly heading in the right direction,” said Ian, who runs a flower nursery with his brother in Lymington.

Describing pumpkins as “awesome”, he added: “The first pumpkin we grew was 54lb, now we watch them grow at 60lb a day.”

A host of Halloween events across Dorset and the New Forest will ensure there is fun for all the family over the coming days.

Frankenfest returns to Southbourne and Poole Zombie Fest makes its debut on Saturday and Bournemouth’s Metropole Market will have a Day of the Dead theme on Sunday.