A husband-and-wife team run two of the biggest pumpkin patches in East Anglia at their two farms.

Thousands of people pour through the gates when Guy and Emily French of Foxes Farm Produce open up their pumpkin fields - totally 20 acres - to the public.

Their farms lie just outside Colchester and Basildon and they open during October weekends for a host of Halloween activities.

“We started the pumpkin patches 10 years ago," explained Guy. “The idea came to us after growing some pumpkins for our own wedding and they have become very popular.

“We really enjoy welcoming people to the farm to show them what we do.”

Guy and Emily French (Image: Adam Lazzari) As well as pumpkin picking, people can enjoy a corn maze trail game, picnic, a giant inflatable pillow pumpkin, a bale mountain, sack races, football goals, a scavenger hunt, farm obstacles and refreshments including pumpkin-flavoured beer, cider and hot chocolate.

There is twilight pumpkin picking, where brave Halloween enthusiasts can navigate the corn maze in darkness, for a spooky night-time experience.

The Frenches' pumpkin patches have proved popular with celebrities, with Stacey Solomon and Denise van Outen among the famous faces who have visited over the years.

Emily hosts her own podcast called The Pumpkin Patch Mum, which can be found on the company’s website and Spotify.

The couple - both fourth generation farmers - plant 25 pumpkin varieties, producing thousands for the wholesale market, as well as theme parks and other pumpkin patches.

“We felt we had to diversify our business and fortunately there has been great interest from the public,” said Guy.

The wet summer has significantly impacted this year’s pumpkin harvest for growers across Britain- and the Frenches back the National Farmers' Union's (NFU) calls for a proactive flood management plan for all Environment Agency-controlled watercourses to protect all farmers, and communities from the impact of flooding.

The NFU is also calling for farmers to be fairly rewarded for their work to protect communities from flooding.

“The wet weather has had a real impact for pumpkin growers all over the UK," said Emily.

“We are looking forward to some great events this year, but there does need to be some planning for the future to help all farmers to deal with the increasing extreme weather.”

The Frenches have advised the public to get their pumpkin picking done early this year as they cannot guarantee there will be enough pumpkins in stock to keep the pumpkin patches open all the way to Halloween.

Visit www.foxesfarmproduce.co.uk/pumpkin-picking-essex for opening times.

(Image: Adam Lazzari)