Lancaster communities plan spooky Halloween trails after trick or treating is banned

The Lancashire Resilience Forum (LRF) has said that trick or treating will not be permitted in 2020 as it would increase the risk of household coronavirus transmissions.

In light of this, communities have been getting creative and coming up with alternative ideas that everyone can take part in.

The Moorlands Halloween Window Challenge will see residents create Halloween themed window displays for two weeks leading up to October 31.

Lancaster artist Hilli McManus is also hoping her neighbours will help her to light up the dark nights with "Batty Glass windows" around the Mill Street area where she lives.

She has received a small grant from Fun Palaces, based at Lancaster Library, for materials, and Lancashire Wildlife Trust has provided local bat knowledge.

She said she would be combining a conservation message with a simple artistic method to produce the Bat Walk for Halloween.

"With restrictions on movement and meeting, there's a risk that the joy of the dark night, Halloween and Guy Fawkes, might be missed," she said.

"They're such important cultural events in our calendar, there's a huge need to make something special happen, as much for children as excited parents!

"No bangs, no crashes, no bright lights, well, this is great for our wildlife, and potentially great for our communities to pull together, and make something magic happen, with minimal impact on our precious and dwindling wildlife."

In Skerton, Carla Huddleston has come up with a Covid-19 safe way for children to still enjoy the evening.

She has invited local residents to display a picture of a pumpkin in the window.

The children will then dress up and do a trick or treat tour around the neighbourhood, with their parents, ticking off the houses displaying pictures in the window, a bit like I-Spy.

When they have ticked off all the houses their parents will then give them a bag of sweets donated by the community.

In the Moorlands area, Moorlands Community Group have teamed up with The White Cross Pub to provide a free meal for the winning design.

The Hallowe'en Window Challenge will also include a downloadable treasure hunt, and the group is encouraging households to dress up and enjoy the displays.

Moorlands Community Group member Sharon Phillips said: "As a group we really wanted to give the local kids something exciting to look forward to and get involved in.

"We've planned a safe community event that gives us all the chance to get creative – I can't wait to see the displays go up and I hope people will post their Halloween costume pictures to our Facebook group."

To be a part of the Spooky Trail, let the group know that you intend to take part and what street you live on by emailing [email protected] or contact the group via Facebook by searching for Moorlands Community group, then get your window display in place by October 17.

Meanwhile in Mill Street, Hilli will be making a short film on how to make and display your own bat which she said will involve tissue paper, string, PVA and plenty of enthusiasm.

She added: "So many people have been able to observe and interact with nature during lockdown, it would be daft not to take those lessons of positive interaction forward.

"This little project will help enhance our knowledge of the bat population, and maybe change a few bad habits to have a positive impact on our natural environment.

"I'm hoping many people will join in, with their own work displayed in their windows for all to see on a dark evening."