In a year of coronavirus misery, Halloween provides a timely reminder that wearing masks can be fun.

With the UK forced to confront the very real threat of the pandemic, some are decorating their houses with the sort of spooktacular displays which provide a reminder of less troubled, more innocent times.

Talulah Hudson, an eight-year-old from Woodlesford, Leeds, looks delighted with the ghoulish display outside her house while Conor Pilkington’s decorations in Gateshead may have made a dent in his bank balance but have given him plenty of sinister housemates to keep him company during the spectre of lockdown.

Meanwhile, a stall in Covent Garden, London has ensured that every pumpkin, gourd and squash taste is catered for with hundreds of varieties available.