Acomb: Month-long preparation for Halloween house

Lynda Starkey in front of her Halloween-decorated home

Grandmother Lynda Starkey cackles as she tells of edible 'nasties' lined up for visitors this Halloween.

The 72-year-old makes a special effort each year, decorating her home and garden in Acomb, North Yorkshire.

She says: "The young ones are entranced when they walk by and see all the decorations. My motto is caring is sharing and sharing is caring."

Ms Starkey adds: "I always decorate the bungalow at Christmas too so people don't really think I'm a witch."

The entrance to Lynda's home

This year, she started her preparations at the beginning of October.

"I spend three or four hours each day adding bits and pieces," says Ms Starkey, who brought her Halloween fixation with her from Buxton, Derbyshire, several years ago.

'Treats' this year include jelly snakes and chocolate disguised as something rather more unsavoury.

"Poo," said Ms Starkey. "I've called it 'Plant Pot Poo.' Children have to dip their hand into the pot to retrieve some chocolate fudge. They're going to love it."

Ms Starkey has three grown-up children and four grandchildren, aged seven, nine, 18 and 23.

Keep an eye out for this gem

She says: "Sadly, the youngest two grandchildren don't live locally so they each get a Halloween parcel."

Retired Ms Starkey previously worked in the hospitality industry before running her own cleaning business for years.

"I do all these decorations to keep myself busy," she says. "It gives me something to do, and the children love it."

During the pandemic, Ms Starkey was among a team which made hundreds of face coverings, raising £289 for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.