LOCHORE'S renowned 'Onion Man' has done even better in 2015 with his special growing recipe has created over 60 specimens, some weight almost 4lbs.

Tam Watson grows his top contenders while he works away in the garden at Benore Care Home in Lochleven Road and over the past few years he has see some amazing onions flourish under his care.

The 82 year-old took over the garden at Benore five years ago when his wife Mary became a resident at the Avondale run facilty and when he got the spacious garden area into shape he then thought about growing fruit and vegetables.

"I have been growing onions for a few years now and there have been some cracking vegetables weighing well over three pounds but this year's crop is the best yet" :said Tam.

"I had 63 originally but three did not fully make it and now I am ready to lift the 60 onions which are in as good a shape I could have asked for."

And Tam already has a full order list for the onions. He added: "The residents at Benore and their relatives have asked me for some and I am delighted to hand them over.

"The staff at all three Avondale facilities here also avidly like to get their hands on them so I have no problems with getting them good homes!"

His growing skills come from his experience in the mining industry: "I picked up a lot of information on growing quality vegetables from my colleagues at Bogside Mine and then at Solsgirth but I do have a top ingredient that is not available to every onion grower.

"My acquaintance with the farmer at The Ferns, near Forest Mill, has seen me get a regular supply of top quality dung and that ensures that the onions get the best of encouragement."

And such are the qualities of the growing aid Tam has been able to re-kindle life in one of the apple trees in the Benore garden which had withered: "The tree has recovered with the use of the dung and hopefully it will be bearing fruit next year."