Well, that’s nature for you. Just as you think you’re developing a potential Sutton’s Cup prize-winning specimen, you take your eye off it for a minute and along comes a cold snap, or a dry spell, or something else entirely (maybe not quite enough food at quite the right time?) and this sort of thing happens:

Yep, that’s a gonner and no mistake. Not even enough left on it to salvage something worth eating.
Luckily, I have a spare:

Any dreams I might be harbouring of #SuttonsCup glory are all resting on tromboncini #2 now. No pressure…