Giant pumpkin is carved into the fun

A giant pumpkin grown on an Ilkley allotment was the star attraction at the Halloween celebrations of Henry, Amy, Oliver and Heidi Moore.
The siblings were given the 125lb pumpkin by their grandfather Paul Riley, 50, of Ilkley, who helped tend the plant at the Bradford Council allotment in Dansk Way, Leeds Road.
The allotment belongs to Bev Smith, who bought a sad-looking pumpkin plant from Morrisons for £1 and then watched as it grew into a monster in time for Halloween. A neighbouring gardener said it was the largest pumpkin he had seen grown on the allotments in 25 years.
Bev donated the pumpkin to Paul’s grandchildren for them to carve.

Eye eye! Staff raise cash

Staff at the Specsavers store in the Moors Shopping Centre in Ilkley dressed up as zombies, witches and skeletons to take part in a Halloween fundraiser for a charity called MACS – the Micro and Anophthalmic Children’s Society.
The charity supports children born without eyes and underdeveloped eyes and the Ilkley branch of Specsavers are to make it their nominated charity.
The charity sale was the branch’s launch event for their project to raise the profile of the charity, and featured delicious Halloween-themed cupcakes and sponge cakes made by branch manager Suzy Boyd.
She said they decided to raise money for the charity after hearing about the granddaughter of a member of staff at a neighbouring shop who was born with a MACS condition.
“We are a very close community around here and we wanted to do something to help,” said Suzy. “It is not a very well known condition or charity but they do a fantastic job helping to support children born without eyes.”
For more information about MACS, visit macs.org.uk.

A-dressing the occasion

Children who attend The Kangaroo Club in Ilkley (pictured left) took part in a Halloween celebration last week when they brought in carved pumpkins and dressed up for the occasion.
Two-year-old Mera Lad brought in the winning pumpkin to the children’s day nursery in Chantry Drive.
The children pictured are: Oscar Ibbotson, Emily and Joseph Heuston, Harry Stones, Matilda Sheppard, Lucas Morrow, Ardon Mjequi, Rex and Finlay Lyon, Julia Iglasias, Marvin Atherton-Foulgar, Nell Clarkson, Hollie Cope, Ellie-Rose O'Brien, Keaton Bradshaw, Evelyn and James Kennedy, Ffion and Anna King, Leah Fleming and Mera Lad with the prize pumpkin.