RECORDS were broken at this year’s Wilkin & Sons Tiptree Little Scarlet race.

The fastest picker at the annual competition was Nicolae Petrechivta, who beat the standing record with an amazing pick of 8.92 kilos in one hour.

He was joined by farm workers, guest teams and staff teams who competed to be fastest picker and the best dressed to fit the sixties theme.

The race started with the traditional horn blowing as pickers tried to grab as many tiny Little Scarlet strawberries as possible.

Wilkin & Sons chose Farleigh Hospice as its chosen charity for this year.

The world-famous firm made a donation to the hospice to add to a fee from outside groups who joined in the race.

Debbie de Boltz from the hospice said: ““Farleigh provides care for people with life limiting illness.

“Our pledge is they will receive care free of charge and it is thanks to people like you we can do this.”

The competition lasts one hour, the fruit is then weighed, put into a chill store and then taken to the jam factory where it will be made into Little Scarlet strawberry conserve before being shipped to shops and hotels in the UK, Paris, New York and Sydney.

Fastest guest team was awarded to English Spirit Distillery with 12.42 kgs and fastest in-house team went to Team Thursday Cottage with 17.45 kgs.