Stevenage and North Herts put some Halloween horror into half term and beyond

Kelly Morton, Chloe Barber, 13 and Rosie Morton, eight, with the Halloween display at the St Evenage Tombs put on for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance by Kelly and Terry Morton. Picture: Danny Loo (Image: Danny Loo Photography 2017)

The annual pumpkin trail & treats event around the Gardens of Knebworth House last Wednesday to Friday was the perfect way to put a bit of horror into half term.

On arrival at the haunted historic Knebworth House, children got pumpkin passports so they could complete spine chilling activities such as the Spooky Spinner, the Terror Tunnel and Witch-Hat Hoopla.

Some of the Halloween display at the St Evenage Tombs put on for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance by Kelly and Terry Morton. Picture: Danny Loo (Image: Danny Loo Photography 2017)

The Hungry Ghost throwing game was new for 2017, as was What’s in the Box? which dared brave investigators to put their hands into a box to feel what lay within. After collecting six stamps, the passport could be exchanged for a ghoulishly good goody bag from the gift shop.

There were even more pumpkin activities on offer, from storytelling, the Pumpkin Bag Tree where participants could claim an extra reward if they could guess the correct number of pumpkins hanging in the tree, and fun competitions.

Children in Halloween fancy dress for the competition at Knebworth House pumpkin trail. Picture: Danny Loo (Image: Danny Loo Photography 2017)

On Wednesday, the youth mayor of Stevenage Borough Council, Santino de Freitas, chose Evie’s spider pumpkin as the first winning vegetable of 2017 and Harley Lewis, Jamie Wright, Poppy Game, Skyla Clarke, Summer Parkin and Tommy Taylor as fancy dress competition winners.

Stevenage mayor Pam Stuart was the judge on Thursday and selected Oliver’s creative pumpkin as the winner, along with the fancy dress competition winners Aaria Radu, Alanya Thamoderam, Anya Ma, Fleur Banks, Ioana Melisa Toma and Jenson Banks. Knebby the Knebosaurus made an appearance to congratulate everybody on taking part.

Children wearing fancy dress for the Halloween competition at Knebworth House. Picture: Courtesy of Alan Millard. (Image: Archant)

Friday’s winners were chosen by North Herts District Council chairman Alan Millard, with Pippa’s green haired pumpkin taking home the prize and fancy dress winners Ali Dakromy, Isabella Craig. Jessica Smith, Mariam Dakromy, Poppy Bacarese and Sam Gosman.

Another haunted Halloween house was open to the public in Stevenage. For a number of years Terry Morton, his wife Kelly and their family have been decorating their home in Symonds Green with home-made moving props at private parties for friends and family.

Ghoulish going's-on at Knebworth House. Picture: Alan Millard (Image: Archant)

This year they decided to charge people to visit and donate the proceeds to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.

The display was nicknamed St Evenage Tombs and drew visitors for a scary experience over the weekend and for trick or treating on Halloween.

Mayor of Stevenage councillor Pam Stuart judges the pumpkin carving competition at Knebworth House pumpkin trail. Picture: Danny Loo (Image: Danny Loo Photography 2017)

Stevenage Town Square went Halloween-tastic on Saturday and there was a Freaky Friday of activities at Stevenage Museum.