Haunt jaunt to TERROR Scream Halloween at theme park
PLEASE stay and play,” whined the voice. Given I was stuck in a darkened attic with toys that were springing to life and strangers grabbing at my ankles, it was the last thing I wanted to do.
Alton Towers’ annual Scarefest was giving me more goosebumps than even its famous rides Smiler and Nemesis.
I was embroiled in its new liveaction attraction The Attic, a sinister bone-shaker based on the legend of a scorned governess avenging the deaths of the youngsters in her care.
Housed in the resort’s ruined tower, it’s part of the amazing Halloween celebrations which run every day until November 3, making now a screamtastic time to visit for added thrills.
Another goodie is t he Alton Towers Dungeon, spine-chilling fun for adults and children over ten.
Your nerves are catapulted through a gory doctor’s surgery, a terrifying torture chamber, a nerve- tingling ghost tale, a mock court trial and a blood-curdling boozer with spooky surprises along the way.
All the attractions are graded by age suitability and fear factor. As well as the dungeon, my daughter Rosie, 13, and her ten- year- old brother Freddie also enjoyed Darkest Depths, based on a mythical ghost ship that is under attack by ocean sirens, mutinous pirate spirits and the monstrous Krakan.
Meanwhile, their dad Tim and our 16- year- old son Max braved the scariest of all, Sub Species: The End Games, set in a sewer full of alien creatures searching for sacrifices.
They emerged shaking with tales of how they were repeatedly dragged away from others in the group and thrown alone into pitch-black rooms to fend for themselves.
For chills of a different kind, we
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Lake District’s food credentials have been boosted by three new Michelin stars. The Cottage in the Wood at Braithwaite, Ambleside’s Old Stamp House and Allium at Askham Hall each got a star, bringing the Cumbrian total to eight. headed off to Alton Towers’ permanent rides. The theme park is famous for its adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, including the new Wicker Man which hurtles through a flaming effigy.
Galactica, the world’s only ride where you soar face-down before being flipped over to lying on your back, was a massive hit with all of us, as was Oblivion, which features the first- ever vertical drop with riders plunging 180 feet into a hole.
Rita ticked the boxes for speed freaks – 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds – while Smiler – with its record-breaking 14 loops – and Nemesis, Europe’s first inverted roller coaster, each gave us more twists and turns than a Dan Brown novel.
And on Th13teen we tried yet another world-leader – a freefall
November 23 (7nts, b&b, 3*) Leeds Bradford, £319 jet2holidays.com