Spooktacular!

Regan James Turner (five) has a close encounter with Scooby Doo

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THRILL-seekers saw Oldham transformed at the weekend as host of spooktacular events hit the town centre.

Spooky Saturday returned with zombies, giant bugs and snakes to chill shoppers.

The fourth annual event hosted Scooby Doo, the Mad Professors, giant bugs walking around the town centre on stilts and Uncle Doom and his Organ of Gloom haunting passers-by.

Zombie flashmob dancers entertained the crowds despite a fall of rain. Braver visitors held real snakes in the creepy crawly marquee.

Sara Hewitt, Oldham town centre manager, said: “It has been absolutely fantastic — it always is. We always get a great response from people in the town centre and it just gets better and better every year.”

Hallowe’en is now the second-largest trading period after Christmas.

There’s more Hallowe’en fund to come: there are Oldham and Uppermill Ghost Walks through the scariest parts of these areas, revealing history and stories from the past.

The Oldham walks start from Oldham Coliseum at 8pm and the Uppermill walks leave from the Civic Hall, Uppermill, at 8pm on October 29-31.

And you can enjoy an afternoon out in Chadderton Hall Park on October 31 (1-3pm), and join in “treacherous treasure hunts”, marvel at scary circus skills and enjoy eerie arts and crafts.