When it comes to heritage, there aren’t many places that can compete with Wicksteed Park.

We work hard to preserve as much of it as we can, aided admirably by the work of our team of heritage staff and volunteers – and you never know when items from the park’s past can become rejuvenated and play a part in its future.

A delightful example of this came when the couple who have become known as Mr and Mrs Halloween began preparing this year’s Halloween attraction at the park.

Husband-and-wife team Steve and Kat Richardson, who fittingly live in the original Cemetery House in Rushden, run Halloween House Entertainment and are believed to have the country’s largest hoard of spooky collectibles, props, and animatronics, totalling around 2,000 items.

Halloween Haunt: Chapter II, believed to be the only family-friendly interactive Halloween walkthrough in the UK, will run at the park for October weekends from October 11 and throughout half-term alongside a whole host of rides and scary things to see and do.

It features wicked witches, scary scarecrows, creepy ghosts and a condemned zombie laboratory as well as favourites from last year, such as a 10-foot animatronic reaper, vampires, werewolves and spiders.

Eleven antique Hall of Mirrors mirrors dating back almost 40 years have also been brought back to life after Steve and Kat asked for them to be taken out of storage so they could form part of the indoor attraction.

The mirrors are unique and are a priceless insight into the park’s past. Indeed, I remember that antiques expert Drew Pritchard tried unsuccessfully to buy them from the park when the TV show Salvage Hunters visited in 2015.

It is fantastic to see them used in this way and they fit in superbly with what is an amazing place to visit this Halloween.

On October 31 only, two special Zombie Trains will depart the railway station at 5.10pm and 5.30pm. Limited spaces to this free spooktacular upgraded service, featuring live actors and sudden movements, are available online.

Park attractions open will include Astroslide, Treetop Walk, Rockin’ Tug, Clown Coaster, Meerkat Manor, Wicky’s Farmyard, Pig ‘N’ Putt, Roundabout, Lighthouse, Carousel, Sway Rider, and Wicksteed Park Railway.

Wristbands, including entry to Halloween Haunt: Chapter II, are £15 online or £16 on the day.