wrote:
This year on my allotment i want to grow a "Giant Atlantic Pumpkin"
with my 8yr old son, and he would like to enter it into a local
competition, and any money he gets from winning he wants to donate to
a charity, Guide Dogs for the Blind, as i am going blind. Any tips or
hints on how to grow the biggest from seed would be very appreciated!
Cos we want to win! Thanks.

What a lovely boy,Dawn. Sorry to read of your misfortune.If you are
thinking of the weird and wonderful you might like to consider the
phases of the moon:

http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/.

just for fun!
On a more practical and competitive note,an old dodge I learned about
many years ago is to pass two or three threads of wool through the stem
of the pumpkin near the fruit and let the ends dangle into a nitrogenous
solution.The theory goes that as the solution is drawn up the roots take
up more water to dilute it.Anyway,it's supposed to give you a massive
pumpkin but an inedible one.
Whatever you decide to do best wishes for a win.
Sam.