While Oldham residents got in the spooky spirit over the weekend, one house in Royton has become the talk of the town for terrifying young and old with his Halloween gazebo of horror.
Over on Connington Close on the Thorp Estate, resident Mike Jewsbury went all out with his Halloween set-up for trick-or-treaters this year, erecting a deadly-themed gazebo with warning tape, a dimly lit red light and a sign that read: "Turn back" in blood which hung across the entrance.
Trick-or-treaters who dared to peel back the curtain were then met with a terrifying scene as a cloaked figure with a skull mask, devil horns and a pretend pickaxe loomed in the corner - and crucially near the sweets tub.
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The figure, later revealed to be Mike himself, would tell the youngsters: "Take a sweet", "just run" or "get out" in a frightening voice.
Hilarious doorbell footage shows many youngsters had run out of the gazebo screaming after the cloaked figure moved and spoke to them as they approached the bowl.
The footage shows one parent laughing at the scene as her children ran away shouting, "mummy!" and she had to collect their sweets for them.
Another group seemed unphased by 'scary Mike' as he told them: "Happy Halloween" and they chimed the same back and asked him: "How long have you been stood there for?"
He replied: "Too long", in the same spooky voice.
A third group commented "That's scary" as they looked at Mike and held up their sweets to prove they had taken one.
Then after they successfully left with their loot, a boy could be heard saying to his friends: "Well that didn't scare me."
However, a fourth group had the fright of their lives when they walked past Mike as he suddenly shouted: "Take one."
The three children screamed and jumped up and down before bursting into laughter.
The footage later shows Mike talking to his family member through the doorbell.
She asked him: "Michael, how's it going?", to which he replied: "Me back hurts."
As well as Mike's own doorbell footage, another family posted a video of their son entering the gazebo from the street.
The boy said "I'm scared" as he tiptoed past the curtain.
Seconds later, he ran out screaming when 'scary Mike' told him to "take just one" sweet.
The family said after posting the footage: "Whoever's house this is, you did an amazing job.
"He's not stopped talking about it since the shock wore off.
"It's nice when people get involved. It really adds to the whole vibe of the night."
Residents across Royton have also been quick to call the set-up "by far the best house" with most calling it "amazing" and "brilliant" for bringing so much joy to the neighbourhood.
Another family said it was "absolutely amazing" and "made so many people run and cry".
A woman wrote: "Now that's what you call a trick" while another said: "He got me too."
A third said: "My son panicked too" while others said they thought it was "so funny" and are already looking forward to visiting the home again next year.
Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk
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