A bakery owner was stunned when she spotted the "biggest lemon [she's] ever seen" on a fruit and veg stall - measuring in at nine inches long.
Tammy Warren, 38, clocked the mammoth 4lb (1.8kg) piece of fruit during her trip to a market at Lackham Farm in Chippenham, Wiltshire, and claims the impressive fruit was 17 times larger than a regular-sized lemon.
The mum-of-three purchased the lemon for £5 and used it as an ingredient in a variety of special treats, all whipped up during a two-and-a-half-hour baking marathon on Wednesday.
Talented Tammy rustled up a tempting lemon and blueberry cake, lemon cupcakes, lemon cake pops, and a lemon drizzle loaf, before going on to make lemon syrup, lemon marmalade, lemon curd, fresh lemonade, and candied lemon peel.
She was also able to freeze enough lemon segments for "lots of gin and tonics ".
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Without so much as a single pip going to waste, Tammy used leftover flesh and zest to cook a delicious lemon chicken dinner, keeping the pips to one side for planting.
Tammy, From Colerne, Wiltshire, said: "It's the biggest lemon I've ever seen in my life, I thought it would make a great cake. It's bigger than [my baby] Sebastian's head.
"In this case when life gives you lemons I made cakes, candied lemon peel, lemonade and will enjoy lots of gin and tonics. It's been fun making all these different things with the lemon, I've loved it. We're going to keep the seeds and grow our own".
The creative baker, who runs Tammy Warren - Bespoke Celebration Cakes, visited Lackham Farm on a family day out with her husband Stuart Warren, 36, and children Hannah Noble, 15, Evelyn Warren, three, and one-year-old Sebastian Warren.
The fruit was grown on the grounds of Wiltshire College & University Centre’s Lackham campus and comes from the exact same tree that previously produced a world record-breaking sized lemon back in 1989.
The record-holding fruit tipped the scales at an extraordinary 10lb 9oz (4.8kg) with its girth measuring in at 31.5 inches (80cm). This lemon held the Guinness World Record title for 14 years before eventually losing out to an 11lb 10oz lemon grown in Israel.
Tammy recalled: "They were selling plants and herbs to grow [at home] - my husband bought a couple of chilli plants.
"They're well known for growing lemons too. They held the Guinness World Record for growing giant lemons for 14 years since 1989. They lost it to Israel".
A Wiltshire College & University Centre spokesperson said: "The College is pleased its super-sized lemons are still as popular and sought after as ever.
"The fruits come from the same tree that produced our former world record-sized lemon that was grown back in the 1980s.
"We have supplied many local people and retailers with our special fruit for a number of years and hope those sold at our Lackham Lambing events last weekend help to produce some delicious bakes and cakes".
Have you spotted any unusual fruit and veg while out shopping? We pay for stories. Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
