A Heeley Road, St Annes mother of four has caused fury to her neighbours as she discarded the insides of four large pumpkins that she carved for her four children despite daily collecting lunch boxes donated during the half term Marcus Rashford “No Child Goes Hungry” campaign.

The neighbour known as Janet told Lytham St Annes News “This neighbour of ours doesn’t work and has four chidlren. Every day over half term I’ve been seeing her coming back with lunch bags from a local venue that has been making packed lunches for the kids.  She also smokes.  Yesterday they put the biggest pumpkins I have ever seen in the garden.  My husband saw her and asked What did you do with the contents of the pumpkin? Did you make a nice soup? She just laughed and said That’s too much effort, we just threw it away plus the kids don’t like stuff like that”.  My husband tried to educate her on nutrition and not wasting as we weren’t brought up like that, and he received a torrent of abuse from her.  I think this is really selfish of her if she can’t afford to feed her kids she shouldn’t be buying large expensive pumpkins and then wasting – it’s just wrong!” 

Seething Janet added “I appreciate it must be a struggle being a single-parent but the abuse from her was unnecessary!”

However retaliation to Janet on social media for being judgemental

Rachel Fahy commented
“So this mother is being judged on getting food parcels and also wasting pumpkin!”

and Jen Grimshaw said
“Flippin heck Judgey Janet! This half term has been tough, even for parents who aren’t relying on food parcels, so must have been super tough for those who are. Weathers been shocking, very few places open to take kids to that aren’t expensive. A bit of pumpkin carving has probably kept her kids amused for a few hours for cheaper than it is to go to the zoo, swimming etc. 😣 Instead of judging so much just compliment her kids pumpkins and walk on!”

Britons are expected to generate record levels of food waste over Halloween this year.

More than 8m pumpkins – equivalent to more than 18,000 tonnes of edible pumpkin flesh – will be heading for the bin because the majority of consumers will not eat it.