Shrewsbury Mayor leads spooktacular event

But it was all good fun as behind the masks and face paint was a cavalcade of youngsters parading their fancy dress fashions through the Darwin and Pride Hill Centres, led by the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Miles Kenny.

Shrewsbury may have been turned into spook central but the ghastly gang left only smiles in their wake as retailers handed out sweets and treats and shoppers enjoyed the lunchtime spectacle on Friday.

The parade followed a busy day of pumpkin-carving in the Darwin Shopping Centre, led by Maggie Love, who put out the call for lots of little monsters to get creative with pumpkins.

They certainly responded, transforming 80 pumpkins into Jack’O’Lanterns in just a couple of fun-filled hours ahead of the annual Trek or Treat spooktacular.

Led by Maggie – herself attired as a witch – and the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Cllr Miles Kenny, the blood-curdling band wandered the Darwin and Pride Hill Centres, stopping to pick up their treats of handfuls of sweets from obliging stores.

Finally, the terrifying gang lined up in the Pride Hill Shopping Centre for the Mayor to judge the best examples of fancy dress and present out prizes to the winners.

Maggie said: “Once again it’s been a wonderful event and the children have had a great time.

“It was a fantastic effort by them and they’ve had terrific support from the retailers and from the Mayor who has helped make the Trek or Treat parade a huge success.

“The pumpkin carving workshop in the Darwin Centre attracted lots of children and their families and saw some fabulous creations being made and it was a brilliant way for the shopping centres and the local community to come together in a fun celebration.”

“There was a fantastic response from the shops as well with around 20 taking part and so our little trick or treaters came away with a wonderful haul of goodies while the fancy dress prizes were kindly donated by Hawkin’s Bazaar.

“I know the children all had a great time and I’d like to thank everyone who helped make the event such a big hit, including the Mayor, who joined in so marvellously and then picked the fancy dress winners.”

The Mayor, Councillor Miles Kenny, said: “We’ve had a wonderful group of spooks and ghouls, the biggest ever, and they were really scary.

“It’s a big thankyou to everyone who joined in and especially for Hawkins Bazaar with their goody bags.

“It’s been a great event and a wonderful show and I must thank Maggie Love for her efforts and Kevin Lockwood and the shopping centres for putting it on.”

Kevin Lockwood, Manager of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres, said: “It’s been another excellent event and has brought smiles to lots of faces once again. Well done to everyone and many thanks to the Mayor for doing such a great job.”

A gruesome gallery of ghosts, ghouls, witches and werewolves turned two of Shrewsbury’s shopping centres into...

Posted by shropshirelive.com on Saturday, 31 October 2015