Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire pumpkin picking patches near Newark for Halloween, in Oxton, Kirklingtom, and Doddington Hall

If you are looking to pick up the perfect pumpkin in time for Halloween, here are some of the best places to get yours.

The award-winning Maxey’s Farm Shop, on Hockerton Road, Kirklington, is a popular destination at this time of year, welcoming visitors to pick up a pumpkin or two and enjoy fun family activities.

The site offers pumpkins in a range of different sizes, colours, and varieties, starting from £2, and can be picked from the field in which they have been home-grown.

There is no need to book and the site will be open every day on the run up to Halloween, with £2 entry and free for under 16s.

Opening hours will vary, with last entry half and hour before closing time:

• October 11 and 12, from 9am to 5pm.

• October 13 and 17, from 10am to 4pm.

• October 18 and 26, from 9am to 5pm.

• October 27 and 30, from 9am to 4pm.

And on Halloween itself, October 31, Maxey’s will be open from 9am to 3pm for some last minute picking.

Alongside the pumpkins, there are lots of other activities to enjoy, including a tractor ride, bouncy castle, hay bales for climbing on, and the scarecrow competition.

A new addition to this year’s activities is the pumpkin launcher. Hot food and refreshments are also available.

Cash and card payments are accepted, but cash is advised.

Just down the road, Southwell Garden Centre is opening up their own pumpkin picking patch, with free entry, running until October 31.

The pumpkins are all locally grown, and young visitors can join in with the daily ‘Find the Golden Pumpkin’ activity, searching the patch for a special pumpkin which can be exhanged for a prize.

Free sweets are available for children arriving in fancy dress, while the garden centre’s tea room is open all day with serving food and refreshments to eat in or take away.

Well behaved dogs on leads are also welcome throughout the site.

Over in Oxton, the Nottinghamshire 'Pick Your Own' Pumpkins patch is back for another year,

The site, on Oaks Lane, will first be open on the weekend of October 11 and 12, and then daily from Saturday, October 18 to Friday, October 31.

With 40,000 pumpkins, squashes and gourds to choose from, there will be plenty of choice for visitors searching for the perfect seasonal decoration.

Opening hours are from 9.30am to 5pm, with free entry and parking, and no advanced booking is needed.

Food and drink will be provided by Bank Inn and Little Schnauzer Coffee Company.

Both cash and card payments are accepted.

Across the border in Lincolnshire, the Doddington Hall pumpkins patch will be open everyday, from 10am to 4pm, to October 31.

There is free entry, and visitors pay for what they pick with prices starting from £4 depending on size.

As a special offer, the venue has also hidden a number of golden bottomed pumpkins in the patch.

Eagle eyed visitors who find one of these golden gourds will not only be able to take the pumpkin home for free, but they will win a family ticket to Christmas in the Hall and a 4ft Doddington homegrown Christmas tree

How will you be carving your pumpkins? Send us your designs at: news@newarkadvertiser.co.uk