Sunflower stakes hit new heights

Oliver Shaw (5) and his grandad Michael Lawson with their 8ft 6in sunflower.

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AFTER the Evening Chronicle published a picture of a 7ft 5in sunflower grown by six-year-old Francesca Quinlan, we asked readers if they could do better.

Now it seems Francesca has been trumped by five-year-old Oliver Shaw from Chadderton. Oliver was given a sunflower seed by his teacher at St Herbert’s RC School in Chadderton earlier this summer and has watched it bloom to a huge 8ft 6in. And giant flower has yet to open, meaning it should grow even taller.

Royton brothers Joseph (5) and William (4) Moore of SS Aidan and Oswald’s Primary School in Royton didn’t stop at one sunflower each. They planted many seeds and now have 24 sunflowers — each over 6ft tall and still growing!