Tag: Halloween

Haunted hotspots for a budget Halloween

Cash strapped fans of the spooky season are being given advice on the haunted hotspots to visit this Halloween on a budget.

The frugal team at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have looked at the places ghost hunters can visit for free this spooky season.

Among the creepy gems are Pendle Hill in Lancashire, the village of Pluckley in Kent and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.

Other spooky destinations to explore include Wistman’s Wood in Dartmoor, Cannock Chase in Birmingham and Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh.

Frugal expert Rebecca Bebbington said: “ We love Halloween but if you’re on a budget finding a haunted destination to explore without spending a fortune can be tricky.

“We’ve come up with ten haunted hotspots to explore without spending a fortune and ones with some great creepy tales to tell.

“Just remember not to scare yourself too – and sleep with the light on!”

Here are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk’s ten haunted hotspots on a budget:

Pendle Hill, Lancashire
Pendle Hill is home to the Pendle Witches. They were tried and executed for witchcraft in 1612. Ghost hunters often climb the hill around Halloween to catch any spooking comings and goings.

Pluckley, Kent
Pluckley is one of the most haunted villages in the UK. Between 12 – 14 ghosts are thought to haunt the village including the screaming man, the highwayman, the elderly woman and the school master. Look out for the highway man who appears as a shadowy figure and the schoolmaster who can be seen in his favourite old coat and stripy trousers.

Blickling Hall, Norfolk
The spooky hall is thought to be haunted by the headless ghost of Anne Boleyn who returns on the anniversary of her execution every May. Roam the grounds and nearby villages and you may spot the ghost of her father, Sir Thomas.

Manningtree, Essex
Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins lived in Manningtree in the 1600s. His witch hunting led to the deaths of hundreds of women in East Anglia’s witch trials. There have been sightings in the neighbouring village of Mistley next to the pond where he drowned innocent people.

Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
Mary King’s Close is thought to be one of the most haunted places in Scotland. During the plague in 1645, it’s believed half of Edinburgh’s residents died. The disease was bad in the close due to the poor sanitation and cramped tenements. The most famous ghost to haunt the area is a ten year old called Annie who died during the epidemic.

Wistman’s Wood, Dartmoor
According to legend, Wistman’s Wood was a sacred grove of the Druid’s where they held pagan rituals. It’s also said to be where the Wisht Hounds are kept. These are fearful hounds who hunt the moor at night in search of lost souls and unwary travellers.

The Ten Bells, London
This is Jack the Ripper’s local pub and two of his victims are linked to it. Annie Chapman spent her last evening there before her murder in 1888 and Mary Kelly was outside the pub. It’s claimed the place is haunted by Annie Chapman.

Glencoe National Reserve, Scotland
Glencoe is home to the Glencoe Massacre of 1692. The story goes that a troop of soldiers, following government orders, were invited to the home of the Clan of Macdonald posing as visitors. During the night they slit the throats of their hosts. Legend says some members of the clan fled to the wood where they still remain.

Cannock Chase, Birmingham
This spooky woodland is said to be haunted by a girl with coal black holes for eye sockets. Sightings describe a young girl crying but when those who see her approach the eerie figure, she turns to show her eyes then runs away.

Bodmin Moor, Cornwall
Bodmin Moor is packed with creepy myths and legends. The Beast of Bodmin Moor, a big panther-like cat, has been seen numerous times and is said to scavenge livestock during the night.

Creepin’ pets safe

Top tips to keep pets safe this Halloween

Although ghosts and ghouls might give us a scare, nothing frightens us more than our pets being in danger. From poisonous food to dangerous decorations, there are many things that could give our pets a fright this Halloween.

Luckily, PDSA, the vet charity for pets in need, has put together its top tips to help prevent any cat-astrophes this spooky season.

PDSA Vet Nurse, Nina Downing, said: “Between spooky costumes and an increase in visitors to the house, Halloween can bring lots of dangers and stressful situations for our four-legged friends.

However, by taking a few small steps, we can keep Halloween fun for everyone:

  1. Keep Halloween treats out of paws’ reach

While chocolate may be a nice treat for us, it is a nasty trick for pets. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is toxic to pets, even in small amounts. The same goes for sweets, if they contain a sweetener called xylitol (sometimes called birch sugar). So, while you prepare for trick or treaters, be sure to store these goodies somewhere your pet won’t be able to reach them.

If your favourite tradition is carving out pumpkins, be sure to keep pets away from them to prevent them from eating the fruit, as it will go off or become mouldy.

  1. Leave trick-or-treaters outside

A constant stream of unfamiliar people knocking on your door can make some pets feel anxious, especially if they’re not used to lots of visitors. So, why not place a ‘help yourself’ bucket outside your home so little heroes or villains can pick out their own sweets without upsetting your furry family members?

  1. Hang decorations out of reach

Many pets love playing with toys, and dangly decorations are a strong temptation for our furry friends to explore. However, if they get hold of them, they could end up chewing and swallowing something harmful. So, make sure you hang any decorations safely out of reach! Additionally, be sure to keep lit candles away from your furry friends to help prevent them from burning themselves.

  1. Return home before dark

Trick-or-treaters in creepy costumes, coupled with loud music from parties, can cause many pets to feel scared or overwhelmed, so it’s a good idea to take your pooch for a walk earlier in the day, before any spook-tastic celebrations begin.

You can also encourage your puss to come home by offering their dinner slightly earlier, before it gets dark outside. However, if you’re closing their cat flap for the evening, make sure you have a litter tray set up and a snuggly bed ready for them to settle down in.

  1. Don’t dress pets up

While we may love to dress up as goblins and ghouls for Halloween, pets don’t share our enthusiasm. Costumes can make pets feel stressed and uncomfortable. Our four-legged friends are adorable just as they are, and there are other ways to get them involved this Halloween, such as a cuddling up for a spooky movie night together.

For more information on how to keep pets happy this Halloween you can visit: 

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/blog/halloween-survival-guide-for-pets  

PDSA is the UK’s largest vet charity. We’re on a mission to improve pet wellbeing through prevention, education and treatment.

Support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery helps us reach even more pet owners with vital advice and information. www.pdsa.org.uk

LIFT’s Haunted House

This year we are doing something a little different, we are hosting our own Haunted House!

This even will run over the course of two nights, Thursday 27th and Friday 28th October! The event will start at 5pm but spaces will be limited!

If you would like to come along it is £2 per family, all kids must be accompanied by an adult! Feel free to get the kids all dressed up

STOP: Mum issues safety warning after toddler suffered 27% burns

A mum whose daughter fell into a scalding bath when she was just three-years-old has urged other parents to be aware of the dangers of burns.

Little Courtney, now seven, spent years battling back to full health after she suffered devastating burns to more than a quarter of her body.

The schoolgirl, from Kirkcaldy, had to undergo numerous painful procedures and physiotherapy at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) in Edinburgh following the accident.

Now on “Burns Awareness Day” (12th October), her mum, Chloe Abrahams, is warning other parents to be aware of potential burns hazards around the home.

Chloe said: “I would never have thought that tap water could burn so badly.

“The pain Courtney went through just from lifting her into a different position on the hospital bed still breaks my heart when I think about it. Seeing my daughter in that state was the worst thing I’ve ever been through.”

Courtney’s accident happened in 2018. She was reaching for a toy when she tumbled into a bath that was filling with scalding water.

Chloe said: “We heard horrendous screams and found that Courtney had fallen into a scalding hot bath. I quickly scooped her out of the bath, stripped her clothes off and wrapped her in a wet towel. She was covered in massive bulging blisters and we rushed her to hospital. But at this point, I didn’t realise how much damage had already been done.”

Courtney was immediately transferred to the high dependency unit in the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) where she was sent to theatre every few days to get her burns scrubbed and redressed to prevent any infections.

Her little thighs and feet received the worst damage as her socks and pants had held the scalding water close to her skin.

After being released from hospital, Courtney’s feet had to stay bandaged for over a month, meaning that she was struggling to walk for up to two months.

She received regular physiotherapy alongside numerous other appointments for over a year to aid her recovery and to help with the inevitable scarring.

Chloe added: “I honestly can’t thank all the amazing doctors and nurses at the RHCYP enough. Courtney is now seven and is doing great. She has lots of scars but she doesn’t let them define her.

“I would like other families to know that you can turn the water temperature down on your boiler. If we had known that – things might have been different for us.”

According to the Burns and Plastics Clinic at the RHCYP, burns are the most common household injury with over 7,000 children suffering serious burns or scalds in the UK in 2021.

As Halloween and bonfire night approaches Rosie Bainsfair, Burns & Plastics Nurse Specialist at the RHCYP, said: “Many of the children we see at the RHCYP in Edinburgh are injured in accidents around the house, involving very common things like hot drinks, irons or hair straighteners.

“If your child has a burn or scald, follow this simple ‘STOP’ first aid advice:

“Strip clothes, jewellery or nappies off (unless they are stuck to the skin).

“Turn on a cold tap or shower and run the burn under cool water for 20 minutes whilst keeping the child warm. Do not use ice.

“Organise medical assistance – attend A and E or dial 999.

“Protect the burn with cling film, provide painkillers and keep the child warm.”

To find out more about how you can prevent burns from happening at home, please visit the Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents website here. 

Conifox Halloween Festival set to go with a bang 

Scaringly great fun for the whole family   

It’s the creepiest time of the year at Conifox Adventure Park where ghouls, ghosts, monsters and much more are gathering next month (October) for a haunt-tastic Halloween festival. 

From Pumpkin Days and Nights to show-stopping Pumpkin Fireworks there is a whole lot of spine-tingling Halloween fun for all the family at Kirkliston just outside Edinburgh. 

Pick the perfect pumpkin from the festive field and carve a masterpiece to take home. Show your dance moves in the monster mash disco. Get spooked by creepy characters in the haunted maze before playing some ghoulish games or firing a pumpkin slingshot.

Learn how to make fake blood and slippery slime with the Mad Scientist. For older kids, why not try and shoot some zombies in our Airsoft target range? Scare everyone silly with a face painting and enjoy the thrill of Taylor’s of Edinburgh Funfair rides. And that’s just the fun of Pumpkin Days! 

Pumpkin Nights will feature all of the above plus the additional attraction of axe-throwing challenges, scare zones, stilt walker and an amazing fire performer lighting up the night. With a spectacular light display and Pumpkin Fireworks on 28th and 29th October by events specialists 21CC Group who promise a stunning extravaganza of light and sound. 

James Gammell, Managing Director of Conifox Adventure Park, says: “Children and adults alike love the drama and fun of Halloween and this year it’s sure to be a scream at Conifox.  Our ever-popular pumpkin patch is back with so much more added this year – and two nights of frightening firework fun.” 

Pumpkin Day sessions run mornings and afternoons, every weekend next month from 8th to 30th October. Pumpkin Nights are held on Friday and Saturday evenings from 14th to 22nd October. 

The Pumpkin Fireworks event is being staged on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, 28th to 29th October. For more information and to book tickets please visit www.conifox.co.uk/whats-on 

Additional costs apply to some activities and access to the Adventure Park or Activity Centre is not included in Halloween Festival ticket 

To find out more about Conifox Adventure Park visit https://www.conifox.co.uk/ 

Get Spooky with Little Scare-lings at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store

Bring your little ones along to Little Scare-lings at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store this Halloween, where they will become certified scarers and enjoy an afternoon of spine-chilling family-friendly activities.

Taking place in Edinburgh between 27 – 30 October, Little Scare-lings is a spooktacular way to get ready for the Halloween festivities, and kids up to age 10 are encouraged to come dressed in their most terrifying costume where their scare-factor will be put to the test.

Children will have the chance to perfect their scare tactics, showcase their monster strut in a group parade, and take part in making their very own monster plant pot to take home. Dobbies will award each child with their very own scare certificate at the end of the session. 

In addition to the activities, there’s the chance to enjoy some tasty treats, with fish fingers and tomato pasta on the menu, with gluten free and vegetarian options also available. Children will also receive a Halloween cupcake.

Adults can enjoy Dobbies’ ever-popular Afternoon Tea, with a selection of finger sandwiches, mini cakes and baked slices, plus freshly-made plain and fruit scones with jam and clotted cream. They will also have the option of a pot of tea or small coffee. For those looking for a sweet treat, there’s the option of a cake and drink ticket. 

Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager at Dobbies, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming families across Edinburgh to our Halloween event. Taking inspiration from our popular Little Seedlings programme, Little Scare-lings gives children the chance to join in some fantastically-spooky fun.”

Tickets for Little Scare-lings are available now at dobbies.com, and booking is encouraged to avoid disappointment. Activities are aimed at children aged 3 -10, but under 3 can participate with adult supervision. Children’s tickets are great value, priced at £8.99, and adults can join in on the fun from £6.99.

Revealed: The most iconic Halloween horror movie moments

  • The shower scene from Psycho has been named the most iconic horror movie moment 
  • The Shining and The Exorcist also appear in the top three 

Ahead of Halloween this weekend, horror movie fans have named the iconic shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 thriller, Psycho, as the most iconic horror moment of all time meaning that the old classics still stand the test of time.  

The study, conducted by Gala Spins, asked 2,000 horror movie fanatics to name which scenes they find the most memorable, with over a quarter (27%) rating the murder of Marion Crane in the shower as their most memorable scene.  

Brits prefer classic scary movies over their newer counterparts, with all the top five released in 1980’s or earlier. 

Horror Movie Scene Where to watch 
1) Psycho 
2) The Shining 
3) The Exorcist 
4) Alien 
5) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 
6) The Blair Witch Project 
7) The Ring 
8) Jaws 
9) Paranormal Activity 
10) Halloween 		1The shower scene 
2″Here’s Johnny” 
3Head spinning moment 
4Chest bursting scene 
5Leatherface introduction 
6Final scene in the basement 
TV scene 
Body floating up from the water 
Stood by the bed 
Closet scene  		Amazon Prime 
Amazon Prime 
YouTube 
Amazon Prime 
Amazon Prime 
Netflix 
YouTube 
Netflix 
Amazon Prime 
Amazon Prime STARZPLAY 

Ranking fourth, Alien is the highest rated non-horror film, with the famous chest bursting scene ranking above horror classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (fifth) and Halloween (tenth). 

The rankings changed depending on both age and gender, with men naming the chilling “Here’s Johnny” moment from The Shining (28%) as their most iconic scene, whilst women chose Psycho’s shower scene (27%). 

Top five most iconic horror movie moments for men 

  1. The Shining – “Here’s Johnny”  
  2. Psycho – Shower  
  3. Alien – Chest bursting scene 
  4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Leatherface introduction  
  5. The Exorcist – Head spinning moment  

Top five most iconic horror movie moments for women 

  1. Psycho – Shower  
  2. The Exorcist – Head spinning moment  
  3. The Shining – “Here’s Johnny”  
  4. Alien – Chest bursting scene  
  5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Leatherface introduction  

The “Here’s Johnny” scene from The Shining was commonly chosen as the most iconic

Pumpkin Potential this Halloween

Halloween happens every year on 31st October and is a day filled with various traditions around the theme of scary stuff! One key ingredient of a great Halloween celebration is a carved pumpkin (it used tae be a turnip! – Ed.).

Yet in-fact, pumpkins not only look great in your window, but are a versatile veg, full of fibre and vitamins.

Here are some ways you can use your left-over pumpkin this Halloween:

Make a Soup
Find our Pumpkin Soup recipe at the bottom of the page. This recipe contains plenty of heart-healthy fats, is low in salt to improve blood pressure and contains two of your 5-a-day!

Roast It
Roasting is a quick, healthy, and easy way to cook pumpkin. Simply peel, deseed, and slice into 1cm slices, then add a little olive or rapeseed oil and place in a heated oven at 200oC for approximately 40 minutes.

Swap it Out
A great way to use up left-over pumpkin from Halloween is to make some swaps. You can use roasted pumpkin as a great side-dish or substitute it for potato, pasta or rice for a more vegetable-filled plate with a flavour twist

Use the Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein and fibre and are low in saturated fat. To cook, run water over the seeds to remove any excess pulp, boil for 5-10 minutes, drain and spread over a baking tray, adding a little oil, then roast at 180oC for 8-10 minutes.

Hearty Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

  • Light spray + 1 tsp of heart healthy rapeseed oil
  • 2 white onions, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • Finely chopped parsley
  • 100g chopped tomatoes
  • 800g chopped pumpkin
  • 100g split red lentils
  • ½ tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 litre hot vegetable stock (go heart healthy with a low salt variety)
  • 50g half fat or reduced fat crème fraiche
  • 4 slices of wholemeal bread (toasted)
  • Optional black pepper for seasoning

Method:

Step 1:  Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and fry the onions over a medium heat until translucent and turning golden brown. Add the garlic (keep the pumpkins to one side), lentils and dried thyme. Fry together for a minute.

Step 2: Add the vegetable stock then season with pepper and then cover. Let this simmer for 20- 25 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

Step 3: Wash and dry the pumpkin seeds before heating up the teaspoon of oil. Add the seeds and fry them until they start to pop and jump. Cover and stir frequently. When the seeds look toasted, remove them from the heat.

Step 4:  Blend the cooked lentils and pumpkin mixture with a hand blender until smooth. Add the crème fraiche and give it one last blend. Taste the soup and season with pepper if needed.

Step 5: Toast the bread and slice into croutons.

Step 6:  Serve the soup in a jar or a mug with toasted seeds, parsley, and croutons on top.

Recipe by Simon Taylor

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our other Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Research reveals the ultimate Halloween playlist

  • ‘Thriller’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘This is Halloween’ top the list 
  • Lana Del Rey, Rihanna, Stevie Wonder and Billie Eilish also feature 
  • Listen to the ultimate Halloween playlist here 

New research has revealed the ultimate playlist for Halloween, with ‘Thriller’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘This is Halloween’ crowned the most popular songs. 

The study, conducted by Gala Bingo, the nation’s favourite bingo site, analysed thousands of Spotify playlists1 that contain the words ‘Halloween’ or ‘scary’ to identify the tracks which appear the most frequently. 

Other spooky classics, such as ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘I Put a Spell On You’ and ‘Time Warp’ also feature highly, as do artists like Billie Eilish, Rihanna and Lana Del Rey. 

The top 25 Halloween songs are: 

1) Thriller – Michael Jackson 

2) Monster Mash – Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett 

3) This is Halloween – The Citizens of Halloween 

4) Halloween Theme – John Carpenter 

5) Spooky, Scary Skeletons – Andrew Gold 

6) Season of the Witch – Lana Del Rey 

7) (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult 

8) Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell 

9) Spooky, Scary Skeletons (Undead Tombstone Remix) – Andrew Gold 

10) Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr. 

11) Stranger Things – Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein 

12) Time Warp – Little Nell 

13) I Put a Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins 

14) Disturbia – Rihanna 

15) Superstition – Stevie Wonder 

16) Highway to Hell – AC/DC 

17) Psycho Killer – Talking Heads 

18) Calling All the Monsters – China Anne McClain 

19) Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo 

20) People Are Strange – The Doors 

21) bury a friend – Billie Eilish 

22) Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics 

23) The Addams Family (Main Theme) – Vic Mizzy and His Orchestra and Chorus 

24) Oogie Boogie’s Song – Ed Ivory 

25) The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley 

Karina Adrian, head of brand marketing at Gala Bingo, said: “Halloween is a time of celebration and parties, and a good playlist can really set the tone!  

“Our ultimate Halloween playlist is packed full of the best spooky songs, both old and new, so you can create the perfect atmosphere this weekend.” 

You can listen to the ultimate Halloween playlist here: 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/57yJGdxaWtgA7BRk4FVhxm?si=55d052aa380b452d