Exmouth gears up for Halloween!

EXMOUTH LOVES to dress up – and what better occasion than Halloween? So beware if you venture outside after dark on the last weekend in October, as you're likely to bump into marauding packs of ghosts, vampires, witches, bats and other creatures of the night...

To join in the fun, you'll be needing a costume. Neverland Fancy Dress Hire is currently offering hire of all its children's costumes for just £4 each, with adult outfits available from £10. Alternatively, head to Carnival House on Exeter Road for a fantastic choice of creepy clothing, masks and accessories. patel20 says: 'Carnival House is a great little fancy dress shop. It really is massively surprising how many costumes and accessories you can fit into such a small premises, and the staff somehow know exactly what they have and where it is! They are really good at helping you choose from the enormous range, and are very fairly priced for the quality on offer too.' If you're on a budget, many of the local charity shops put out Halloween gear at this time of year, too.

Spooky stuff

There'll be plenty of parties going on around the town, but for a Halloween to remember, why not host your own? You'll need to create a suitably spooky ambience, so check out Aladdin's Cave on Rolle Street for affordable decorations to set the scene.

Pick up a pumpkin

No Halloween would be complete without a jack-o-lantern in the window, so pop into Stokes for a pumpkin – they stock cracking big ones at this time of year. CoastalMummy says: 'I would definitely rate the quality of fruit and veg here as some of the best in town.'

Pumpkin carving's a brilliant activity for kids, and don't worry if you haven't made one before – just check out the net for instructions and design inspiration. Do keep the insides – you can use them to whip up our recipe of the month – easy pumpkin soup with crunchy seed topping. It's delicious and will make enough for all your guests.

Even if you don't feel like cooking, you can buy plenty of edible treats suitable for party food or gifts for trick-or-treaters. Check out the funky ghost cakes and biscuits at Crusty Cob (branches in Rolle Street, The Strand and Littleham).

For a healthier treat, why not try apple bobbing – how much fun can you have getting one of your 5-a-day? You're still likely to find yourself doling out sweeties by the handful to the little monsters at the door, though, so stock up on a bargain bucket or two at Just a Pound or one of the supermarkets.

Be safe

For a safe and happy Halloween, do remember that all children should be accompanied when trick-or-treating, both for their own safety and to make sure that householders are treated with respect.

Finally, if you're unhappy with Trick or Treaters calling at your door, put up a 'No Trick, No Treat, No Thanks, Have Fun' poster in your window. You can download it from Devon and Cornwall Police.

Happy Halloween, Exmouth!