Donald Trump lookalike mangelwurzel steals the show

A vegetable grown in Somerset has won a prize for looking "the most like Donald Trump".

The winning root crop was part of the first ever The Great Polden Hills Mangelwurzel Day festival, a celebration which attracted hundreds of spectators, with entries being judged in 13 categories.

Sarah Royall, who came first in the 'most like Donald Trump' category with her vegetable that took seven months to grow, included the President's facial features, fluffy light hair and distinctive warm complexion.

The once forgotten mangelwurzel – which is a cross between a beetroot, sugar beet and chard – has been making a comeback in the area, having historically been used for cattle fodder or to feed peasants.

Royall said she used acrylic paint for the face and her dog's fur for the hair.

"My dog's called Luka, he's a labradoodle and has got very blonde, wispy fur, so I groomed him and stuck it on top," she said.

"I had two attempts at getting it right, on the first one my husband thought it was him and my son thought it was Boris Johnson," she added.

Royall said her second attempt had much more of a likeness to the American President and won the first prize medal, much to her surprise.

"I've not even grown a carrot to be quite honest with you, courgettes I can do and tomatoes but that's about my limit," she added.

Event founder Beverley Finnegan said: "People had so much fun with this category, we had to extend the tables because there were so many entries.

"They were so creative. I'd love to get those images into the White House inbox," she said.

Royall's mangelwurzel was one of many victorious entries on the day, which included categories such as 'best looking legs', 'heaviest' and 'best mangel monster'.

Katherine Pitt from Burtle who has never grown anything like it before, took the heaviest prize with her mangelwurzel that weighed 13.28kg.

"It's three times the size of my head," she said.

"When I planted the seeds they were the smallest I've ever seen.

"When they sprouted I posted a picture on social media of this tiny crest and I made a joke that they would be competition winning giants," she added.

Pitt also came second in the 'biggest girth' category, with hers measuring 68cm.

Prizes included packets of seeds and a small stone hand painted with a picture of a mangelwurzel.

She said she did not know what to do with her prize winning produce, which was now sitting on her dining room table.

"I've got empty veg bed syndrome. I haven't ever eaten them. I don't particularly like beetroot," she said.

Sam Charlesworth, chair of Edington Village Hall where the festival took place, estimated around 400 people turned up.

"It's one of the proudest things I've ever done. We had people coming from Birmingham and Bridport to support the day.

"I almost had to behave like security to the mangelwurzels and remove people who had snuck in and were taking photos," added Charlesworth.

The event went so well there are already plans to bring it back in 2027.

Event founder, Beverley Finnegan said: "I think there'd be an uprising in the Polden villages if we said we weren't doing it next year. The journey has been a community thing.

"People spent months growing and nurturing these mangelwurzel babies, when they had to hand them over to us it was a real separation thing. I thought I need to start a support group.

Meanwhile Charlesworth said: "I'm really scared that I'll have to extend the village hall just to house all the mangelwurzels next year".

At the end of the festival most of the mangelwurzels returned to their roots by being fed to local cattle.

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