A WORCESTER pensioner is fighting a losing battle with a 10ft monster to try and reach his home.

Pint-sized Stan Sansome has to duck and dive to avoid the giant spikes that threaten to spear his arms as he goes through the front door.

Mr Sansome has two enormous thistles growing in his front garden and they show no signs of slowing down.

"I didn't plant the thistles so I don't know whether birds have dropped the seeds here," he said.

"They only started growing in May this year, and I could see them growing about 3in every day."

Despite the thistles topping 10ft, Mr Sansome, of Bevere Lane, has not made any plans to chop them down.

"They should go to seed in about August or September this year, so I'll just leave them," said the 75-year-old, who is 5ft 3in tall.

"But I've got a lot of farms near me so I'll have to be careful that the seeds don't blow away."