The heat is on as chilli freaks fire up festival

Garden centre owners are turning up the heat with hundreds of varieties of chilli peppers this autumn.

The Victoriana Nursery in Challock hosts the Chilli Festival weekend, and expects more than 2,000 visitors.

The nursery has grown 180 different chilli varieties, plenty of which will be on offer for the public to endure.

They include the devilishly hot Carolina Reaper and Trinidad Scorpions – up to 2.5 million on the Scoville scale.

Organiser Serena Shirley liKe it hot? enter the dragon The Dragon’s Breath chilli is now the hottest on record – at more than 2.5 million on the Scoville Scale. Other ratings include: common bell pepper, 100 paprika, up to 1,000 said: “All the varieties are grown here – ranging from cool and sweet to the very hot. There will also be chilli fruits, plants and seeds.”

Other highlights include chilli candyfloss, bellini, coffee, pizzas, curries adn chocolate.

More than 20 stallholders have been confirmed so far, with offerings such as tabasco, up to 50,000 Scotch bonnets, Bird’s Eye, Habaneros and Madame Jeanettes, 350,000

Trinidad Scorpion, Naga Morich or Carolina Reaper, up to 2.5 million. barbecued items, cocktails and jewellery.

Festival tickets are £2.50, with free entry for children under 16. Proceeds will go to the Mission to Seafarers.

It takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8 from 10.30am to 4pm.

Visit victoriananursery. co.uk/Challock_Chilli_Fest.

Chilli varieties from around the world can be sampled at next month’s festival