Colin's 10ft sunflower enjoys morning cuppa

And the secret to the Codsall couple's towering flower? A cup of cold tea every morning.

"I'd say if I had one secret it might be cold tea," said the 77-year-old, who lives in Lime Tree Gardens. "Every morning when we finish our brews, I go out in the garden and pour whatever tea we had left from the kettle on the sunflower, which seems to have worked wonders.

"I'm an evolving gardener, that's the title I've given myself. I've enjoyed watching it grow and might even plant a few more after this, I might be reaching the Guinness Book of Records after this, you never know."

Despite its rapid growth, the bloom shows no sign of slowing down any time soon, with Mr Babb saying it was getting bigger each and every day. To keep it looking its best, he has attached it to a pole and trellis to keep the bloom upright.

The couple, who have lived in their home for 53 years, planted the flower 10 weeks ago.

"We just planted it, fed it a few times a day and off it went, a bit like jack and the beanstalk," he said. "We haven't had the best of summers but it doesn't seem to have affected it at all, it's enjoyed the little bit of sunlight it has had. It's survived all the south westerly winds and all the rain and gales that occupied our sunny months."

Colin, 77, is originally from Bushbury and was a toolmaker before working for the ambulance service in patient transport for 10 years up until his retirement at 65.

Jeanette, 75, who was from Fordhouses, worked in the filing department of the Express & Star for more than 30 years, retiring in 2002.

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