PUMPKINS took flight in spectacular fashion as part of an unusual community event.
The airborne gourds soared above Ellesmere on Sunday, during a trebuchet pumpkin launch organised by community arts group Fizzgigs.
Crowds gathered at the Birch Road recreation field to watch the medieval-style siege engine, built by Fizzgigs mastermind Peter Cartlidge, send more than 70 pumpkins arcing through the sky - setting a new event record.
Ian Andrew, chair of Fizzgigs, said: "It’s just something else to make the town we live in a bit more interesting."
Visitors from Wrexham, Llanfyllin, Oswestry and beyond joined locals to enjoy the family-friendly spectacle.
This year’s targets were brightly painted wheelbarrows, adding a colourful twist to the high-flying fun.
For the second year running, attendees were invited to guess how far their pumpkins would travel, with targets set at the estimated distances and a prize awarded for a direct hit.
Only one contestant struck gold - 10-year-old Seth from Oswestry.
His pumpkin, named Inosuke after a character from the anime Demon Slayer, landed a hit.
Seth says he was "surprised and delighted" both with the hit and the prize.
Despite the impact, the wheelbarrow survived, though it was left with a noticeable dent.
Eight-year-old Sam Connolley from Wrexham also took home a prize for the longest flight.
His pumpkin, dubbed Tiddlesworth, travelled more than 75 metres.
Sam’s father said: "This is the first time we’ve attended the event.
"It’s fabulous.
"We will be back next year.
"And I’ll be weighing up each pumpkin in the shop to assess suitability.
"There’s a record to be broken!"
The lifetime record still stands at an impressive 100 metres.
Mr Andrew kept the crowd engaged throughout the afternoon, explaining the mechanics behind the trebuchet.
He revealed that more than 500 kilos of ballast was used to launch the pumpkins.
The trebuchet, which occasionally rocked on its wooden wheels, required volunteers to secure it with sledgehammers - a job that reportedly prompted some to train at the gym ahead of the event.
More information about Fizzgigs and their future activities is available at www.fizzgigs.co.uk.
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