Inside Antonio Velardo's greenhouse at his home in Guildford Road is the impressive Italian spaghetti bean, which has recently been growing at roughly two inches a day.

"I don't know if it's because of the correct temperature inside my greenhouse or because it's had the right amount of watering, but this bean has just kept on growing and growing," said Antonio, 62.

"People are amazed it has got so big. It looks just like a long thick piece of string or spaghetti."

Antonio bought the spaghetti bean seeds from Italy, where he comes from, five years ago. Once the seeds had begun to grow he planted them at his plot at the West Tarring allotments in Ringmer Road. But when they only grew to six inches, the keen gardener moved them to his greenhouse where this particular bean has thrived.

Antonio said he does not plan to eat the bean, which is like an English runner bean but is more round in appearance, instead of flat.

"I will let it go to seed and then use the seeds next year to hopefully try and grow some more big beans. Spaghetti beans are very tasty, sweeter and less stringy than runner beans."

Antonio, a builder and decorator, also grows lemons, kiwi fruits, chillies and peppers in his garden.

"I'm not sure what the answer is to growing a very large fruit or vegetable, but I will keep trying to see if I can grow something just as big as the spaghetti bean."

Last year Antonio's relative Sacco, who lives in the same road, managed to grow a world-class sized tomato.

"I expect the fact we've both grown large things is probably more down to luck rather than the soil in Guildford Road," said Antonio.

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