Return to turnips if the Hallowe’en pumpkins run out

FEARS of a pumpkin shortage have prompted a revival of the turnip for Hallowe’en.

English Heritage said wet weather had drastically reduced supplies of pumpkins, and that it had instead installed ghoulishly carved turnips for its celebrations. The charity is calling on others to do the same.

Meanwhile, police have urged shopkeepers not to sell eggs and flour to children, in an attempt to reduce damage to property caused by trick-or-treaters taking matters too far.

The practice of using turnips originated from a 17th century Irish folk tale about a man named Jack who, after trying to trick the Devil, was cursed to roam the Earth with only a burning coal – inside a hollowed-out turnip – to light the way: the original Jack-o’lantern.

From then on, people across the British Isles carved scary faces into turnips and placed them near doorways to frighten away evil spirits. During the 19th century, people moving to America took this tradition with them and quickly discovered that pumpkins, which are native to America, were far easier to carve.

In recent decades, carving pumpkins at Hallowe’en has become established as a tradition also on this side of the Atlantic.

Dr Michael Carter, an English Heritage historian, said: “From carved pumpkins to trick or treating, many of the traditions associated with Hallowe’en today come from early European folklore, rather than simply being American inventions.

“This year, English Heritage is having fun with some of the original Hallowe’en traditions, including our array of carved turnips at Dover Castle and ghost tours at our castles across the country.

“I don’t think turnips are going to replace pumpkins – they are more dif- ficult to carve – but hopefully people will remember the turnip and all our other rich traditions this Hallowe’en,” he said.

One of the UK’s biggest pumpkin suppliers, Barfoots, has said that heavy rain in August has cut yields in half.

Meanwhile police urged shopkeepers not to sell eggs and flour to under16s ahead of Hallowe’en amid fears that pranksters might use them to cause damage.

Officers said they launched the crackdown in King’s Cross in central London after youths pelted homes with home-made concoctions while trickor-treating in previous years.

The Safer Neighbourhood Team said vulnerable and elderly residents had been targeted. The ban is not mandatory. In a letter pinned to a shop front, officers asked shopkeepers to volunteer not to sell the household staples to children under 16 in the week before Hallowe’en.