THE growing popularity of Harrogate's Autumn Flower Show, which runs until Sunday, could see another record breaker on the cards.

Last year's event produced a record crowd of 36,313 with attendances generally rising from 1997 when 28,160 people went through the gates at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

The only major blip in attendances came in 2000 when the country was facing a petrol shortage, but even then almost 30,000 defied the crisis.

Nineteen of the country's specialist plant societies are represented, many of them holding their own show- within-a-show.

Meanwhile, almost 100 of the country's leading horticultural nurseries have boosted the event which is organised by the North of England Horticultural Society.

An exhibition shows the contrast between modern day vegetables and older varieties in a display by the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Vegetable Society.

Today's programme includes the heaviest onion competition, which started in 1983 with a winner of 7lbs 3.50z.

Last year's winner Louis Hunt from Lancashire saw his onion weigh in at 11lbs 15oz. The world record was a 15lb 9.63oz onion grown by Mel Ednie from Scotland in 1995.

There is a first prize of £500 for the largest onion, but if the world record is broken an extra £1,000 is added.

Admission costs £10 each day but is £5 on Sunday after 2pm. Children get in free.