A green-fingered couple from Sidford have dazzled their neighbours with their tower of sunflowers.

Church Street residents Marion and Barry Perry have been stunned by their sunflower’s growth - with the plant producing more than 20 heads on one stem.

Marion saw a picture in last week’s Herald of Ottery St Mary resident Donald Stevens with his 11-foot-tall sunflowers and decided to get in touch about her husband’s ‘pride and joy’.

The Sidford residents have been growing the flowers for their two grandchildren after they were given sunflower seeds by a friend.

Marion said: “We said we would grow them, but we have never had something like this.

“We wake up every morning to these wonderful yellow sunflowers.”

The sunflower has survived the summer of rain after falling down.

Marion said: “We tied it back up. We didn’t think it would recover, but it is wonderful to look at.

“My husband loves to garden. It is really like the Good Life - we have potatoes and everything you can grow here.

“He’s not so keen on flowers, but the sunflowers are his pride and joy.”

Lynette Talbot, chairman of Sidmouth in Bloom congratulated the couple on the sunflower.

She said: “There are many multi-headed sunflower species but it is up to the care of the grower, the right sun, water and feed to get such a good display.”