Frightfully good Halloween adventures for half term

Theme parks are always really atmospheric at Halloween and this year is no exception. At Chessington World of Adventures you can stay enjoy treat or treating in Market Square (but watch out for the Headless Horseman!) and there are prizes for the best costumes. Meanwhile at Gulliver's Fun in Warrington, Matlock and Milton Keynes you can enjoy constume parties and the Pumpkin Patch Olympics, make spooky masks in Ellie's Crafty Corner and meet Godfrey the Ghost..

Ghost hunters might be interested in English Heritage's top five most haunted sites - topping the list is the Abbey and Battlefield in Hastings, site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings where the ghos of the former King Harold is said to appear at the spot of his eventual demise - now the grand high alter of the abbey. This October visitors can join Professor Midnight for a spine-tingling ghost walk around the haunted grounds. Twilight ghost walks are also taking place at Cowdray Ruins, Midhurst, West Sussex on Friday October 21 and Monday, 31.

There are plenty of options for kids who want to get creative - at Greenwich's Old Royal Naval College children, who are encouraged to come in costume, can create masks and spookily- themed mobiles on "Fun Family Friday" on October 28 and there will be costume-making workshops for both adults and children at Greenwich Market, followed by a fashion show where everyone can show off their creations. There are plenty of pumpkin carving workshops on offer including at Stafford Castle and Biddulph Grange Garden.

Meanwhile at Red House Museum in Christchurch, Hampshire children can learn about the bones and skeletons of animals and then solve the mystery of Who Killed the Duck? in a free Skulls, Skeletons and Skull Duggery workshop on Thursday, October 27, or on October 28, make lanterns to take with them later on a Ghost Tour of Old Christchurch.

At Blists Hill Victorian Town near Ironbridge, Shropshire as dusk falls on Saturday October 29 the street lamps will cast eerie shadows into corners and weird apparitions will replace the friendly Victorians who are usually at their workplace - watch out for the village carpenter nailing victims in to his coffin!

Lower Drayton Farm in Penkridge, Staffordshire is running a Brave the Maize Maze in the Dark event on  October 29, along with a host of other Hallowe'en activities running throughout half term and Willows Farm Village in Hertfordshire is holding a Pumpkin Festival during half term with pumpkin-related events happening all week.

The South-West's largest Hallowe'en event Frightmare at Over Farm is returning to the Cotswold's this year with trailer rides to the pumpkin patch, a treatsure hunt, facepainting,  a fairground all accompanied by scary sounds and special effects and for those who like dressing up, Ripley's Believe it or Not! London is offering £5 off entry on October 31 between 6pm for those who turn up in costume.