Don’t be left haunted by Halloween 2020

Advice from Humberside Police:-

We all know that Halloween is going to be a little different this year – but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be spooktacular!

The restrictions currently in place to keep us all safe and prevent the spread of Covid-19 may rule out trick or treating and Halloween parties but there are lots of other ways to celebrate and have fun.

From terrifying treasure hunts to Zoom-bie parties online, you’ve been sharing some great creative ideas in local community forums across the area and we have come up with some more suggestions of things you could try too.

But however you decide to mark the occasion, our teams will still be out and about to make sure everyone has fun and stays safe.

Superintendent Tracy Bradley said: “Halloween is always a great time of year and even though it’s going to be a bit different this year, we want to do all we can to make sure it’s fun and enjoyable.

“The last thing we want to do is spoil anyone’s fun and we’re really looking forward to getting into the ‘spirit’ of the occasion and seeing all your costumes and decorations.

“This is always one of the busiest times of the year for us, so we have arranged our shift patterns to make sure that we have additional officers out on the street to deal with any issues that do arise as quickly as possible.

“Some people – particularly older or vulnerable people – can find Halloween genuinely frightening and that’s just not fair. If we find you are behaving inappropriately we will step in.

“Our main priority is to keep you safe and, this year, that also means being mindful of the restrictions in place to limit the spread of Covid-19.

“Throughout the pandemic, the vast majority of people in our area have complied with the rules and I am sure this will continue over Halloween.

“Where this is found not to be the case, our approach has always been to engage with people and explain, encouraging them to adhere to the rules. However, we will use enforcement as a last resort to protect you and the wider community.

“My final plea is that if there is antisocial behaviour in your area please let us know about it by calling 101 or 999 if someone is in immediate danger.

“It is likely to be busy, so please bear with us if you can’t get through straight away. It’s really important that you let us know, so we can make sure our teams are in the right area at the right time.”

Why not try one of these Halloween Treats?

• Pumpkin carving – Whether you go for a traditional spooky face, your favourite cartoon character or a rainbow for the NHS, nothing says Halloween like a pumpkin. Use LED lights inside your creations and display them on the windowsill for people to spot.
• Bingoooooh – Head out to look at the decorations in your area with a list of spooky things to spot. You could even give a prize for the first one to see them all.
• Spooky scavenger hunt – You don’t even need to leave the house for this one! Create some creepy clues and get the family searching the house.
• Have a virtual Halloween costume competition using Zoom or Skype
• Thriller night – there’s nothing like a scary movie to get into the Halloween mood.

Halloween Tricks to avoid

• Traditional trick or treating or communal treat bowls
• Parties or gatherings of more than six people