IT may not yet be the Day of the Triffids but a Hampshire garden has suffered an invasion from a set of super-plants.

A giant set of sunflowers has taken over the front garden in the Sholing area of Southampton.

At nearly 15 feet tall, the growth and height of the ten horticultural heavyweights has taken their owner completely by surprise.

Lynda, of Marie Road, planted the monster flowers this spring, and has watched them shoot up over the summer.

Although a keen gardener, it was the first time she had tried sunflowers, having been given some by a friend last year.

Lynda, a 53-year-old housewife said: "They are now competing with the street light.

"I don't know how big they normally get but some of them are still growing. I haven't even been feeding them.

"I did not take a lot of notice until people going by the house started saying things."

She added: "I love them. I think they are beautiful and they remind me of Bill and Ben the flower pot men."

Product manager at Hillier Nurseries Larry Rynsard believes the weather is to blame for the freak growth.

He said: "It has been a very good year for growth as it as not been too hot and the plants will have had a lot of water.

"We have had a very wet year, so in this area we are 25 per cent up on our rainfall."

He added cheekily: "My staff tell me that the sunflower problem may be down to the solar eclipse last year, but maybe they are just trying to get away from England and closer to the sunshine."

Can you beat these monster sunflowers Contact Graeme Massie at the Echo on 02380 424522.

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