‘SWEET and spooky’ pumpkin trails will help families in Wharfedale and Craven celebrate Halloween.

The fun trails – similar to the rainbow trails made during lockdown – will involve children drawing pictures of pumpkins and sticking them in their windows for other children to see.

Families will then be asked to see how many they can spot throughout October as a ‘coronavirus-safe’ alternative to Trick or Treating.

Wharfedale mum-of-two Sarah Smith, who runs local parenting website Wharfedale & Craven Mumbler, has launched the initiative with an eye on the COVID-19 pandemic contact restrictions and how they may stop children from enjoying October 31 as normal.

She said: “Halloween is my children’s favourite me of year, especially the Trick or Treating.

“I knew they would be disappointed if they couldn’t go out on the night but this year people might not want children knocking at their doors, and parents might not want their little ones rummaging through communal bowls of sweets either.

“We had such fun doing the rainbow trails on our daily exercise during lockdown and spotting newly added ones each day made our walks much more exciting!

“The pumpkin trail is a similar idea and gives everyone something fun to take part in. You could do it in fancy dress if you want to, and parents could even put a small treat in their child’s Trick or Treat bag for every pumpkin they spot.”

A pumpkin template can be downloaded from the Wharfedale & Craven Mumbler website for anyone who wishes to get involved - or people can design their own.

Sarah added: “You could even paint a funny face onto a real pumpkin and put it in your garden. Colour them, paint them, cover them in stickers – let the kids’ imaginations run wild!

“Halloween will certainly be different this year but we can still all have lots of fun.

“There are lots of pumpkin picking events and Halloween themed classes if you want to get out somewhere too. I can’t wait to see all the different pumpkin designs children come up with!”

The website is encouraging people to get creative to mark the occasion in other ways, too. They include:

*Making some spooky snacks and holding a Halloween afternoon tea

*Hiding treats around the house, turning out the lights and playing some spooky music for an at-home Trick or Treat trail

*Holding a Halloween disco with glow sticks or a family friendly Halloween movie night

*Trying out some Halloween-themed science experiments or telling ghost stories by candlelight.

For more information on local Halloween, October half term and Bonfire Night events and ideas visit https://wharfedale.mumbler.co.uk/.