Spooky display to raise money for Llanon school

A spooky garden display will encourage visitors to Llanon again this Halloween and is aiming to raise money for the local school.

For the sixth year, Steve and Rachael Short will be transforming their garden at 69 Stad Craig Ddu, Llanon, into a spooky Halloween spectacle, packed with eerie sights, special effects, moving animatronics and plenty of surprises for visitors of all ages.

This year, the couple have chosen to raise funds for Ysgol Llanon Primary School, with all donations going towards supporting the local school and its pupils.

Steve, the creative force behind the display, has spent countless hours throughout the year dreaming up new ideas, designing, building and adapting props, and experimenting with different ways of bringing his Halloween creations to life.

He said: "It's something I really enjoy doing, although I don't think people always realise just how many hours go into putting it all together. A lot of the props and moving figures are homemade, and I spend an enormous amount of time working out how to make things move, light up or suddenly spring into action. Sometimes the simplest-looking effects can take hours and hours to get right!

"Every year I try to make the display a little different. I've got some new animatronics planned for this Halloween, along with a few old favourites that people might recognise, although I've been changing things around to give the whole display a fresh look.

"It's become a bit of a passion of mine, and although it can be hard work, seeing people's reactions, particularly the children, makes it all worthwhile.

“Unfortunately, preparations have been somewhat hampered by the recent severe weather, with two storms bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the area.

"The weather has been an absolute nightmare! I've lost several valuable days of construction and preparation time because of the storms. So much of the display involves electrical equipment, electronics and moving mechanisms, and none of those particularly appreciate being exposed to wind and rain.”

Weather permitting, the Halloween Spooktacular is planned to run over three evenings: Friday 30th October, Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November, with Halloween night itself being the main event.

Steve added: "Ysgol Llanon is right at the heart of our community, and we thought it would be lovely to give something back to the local children.

"We don't charge an admission fee. People are welcome to come along, enjoy the display and, if they can, make a donation towards the school. Every contribution, however small, is greatly appreciated, and hopefully we can raise a really worthwhile amount."

An online fundraising page has been set up for anyone wishing to donate, while collection buckets will also be available at the display for visitors who prefer to contribute in person.