HAUNTED HOUSE

Whatever you think about Halloween, it has definitely taken on here on Norfolk Island!

Because she loves any sort of celebration, particularly of it involves kids, Kim began planning a very special sort of evening several weeks ago!!

Once she had Charles hooked on the creation of special effects, it was "all go", with an absolutely amazing result. "Devonside" was truly turned into a House of Horrors.

Would the kids come? Well, I think word had got around, and instead of the twenty or so Kim was expecting, there must have been nearly a couple of hundred. Group after group kept arriving. The first ones came well before dark, and they just kept coming until nearly nine o'clock!

They came by car, bus - even a "cattle crate!"

The little ones preferred the safety of the verandah, and did not venture downstairs where the scariest effects were!

Count Dracula rose from his bed as the door was opened.

This skeleton hung from the ceiling.

This hangman swung at any unsuspecting person who opened the bathroom door!

There were eyeballs, intestines and brains to "feel", and a dead man's hand in a bowl of popcorn!

Needless to say, we ran out of "treats" well before the kids stopped coming, but no one seemed to mind. They thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment!

This ghost floated down from high in the trees on a flying fox-type wire that Charles had rigged up.

The kids were pretty scary too!!

No wonder these characters below looked so real - they were!! And now they are enjoying well-earned rest, with a beer and footie on TV, after an evening of terrifying little kids!

Brett the "Mummy" (centre) had spent the evening jumping out of the coffin, while Raewyn and Mal had been busy surprising everyone downstairs.

We would really like our island kids to know that our homes at Devon are welcoming. friendly and safe. But it is a funny way of showing it!!!

However, I am pretty certain they will be back for more next year!!!