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In Pictures: Spooky castles and skeleton crews mark Halloween

Skeletons, pirates and a marquee of monsters await those in search of sweets.

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Homeowners have embraced the spooky season and transformed their cosy homes into haunted mansions this Halloween.

Trick-or-treaters in search of sweets face braving the spooky gardens across the UK and Ireland if they dare.

Electrician Ken Carraher continues preparations on his Halloween House of Horrors in Killiney, Dublin
Electrician Ken Carraher continues preparations on his Halloween House of Horrors in Killiney, Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)
A model monster holds its own head
The charity installation, featuring all kinds of macabre monsters, is expected to attract thousands of trick-or-treaters (Brian Lawless/PA)
A model skull surrounded by pink leaves
In Larbert, near Falkirk, the dead are ready to welcome trick-or-treaters (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Halloween decorations in the garden of a home in Larbert, near Falkirk
Halloween decorations in the garden of a home in Larbert, near Falkirk (Andrew Milligan/PA)
A model skeleton dressed in a pirate outfit
Ahoy, me hearties! Brave sailors must cross the seven seas to knock on this door in Rainham, Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA)
A mock-up Halloween-themed shop in the garden of a house in Kent
There was no holding back on the decorations at the house in Rainham, where a crew of skeleton pirates were waiting for trick-or-treaters (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Lavinia Hedges putting the finishing touches to a Nightmare Before Christmas themed display
Lavinia Hedges putting the finishing touches to a Nightmare Before Christmas themed display raising funds for the My Shining Star charity, at her home in Gillingham (Gareth Fuller/PA)
A house decorated with a “Nightmare Before Christmas” themed Halloween display
The garden is ready to welcome trick or treaters on All Hallows’ Eve (Gareth Fuller/PA)
A giant spider sitting on a coffin in front of a house decorated for Halloween on Elgin Crescent in Notting Hill, west London
Arachnophobes should certainly steer clear of this impressively-decorated house in Notting Hill, west London (Ben Whitley/PA)

And beware, things can get even creepier for those invited indoors.

Nine-year-olds Freddy and his sister Darcy at their home in Woodbridge, Suffolk
Nine-year-olds Freddy and his sister Darcy at their home in Woodbridge, Suffolk (Joe Giddens/PA)
Nine-year-old Freddy holding a fake knife in a pretend blood-splattered bathroom
Their home has been decorated by dad Lorrie Thackeray for Halloween and dubbed ‘Suffolk’s Scariest House’ (Joe Giddens/PA)

It wasn’t all spooky, scary skeletons though, with some stores embracing the autumnal theme of the day.

A display of leaves and pumpkins outside Neill Strain Floral Couture store in Mayfair
Neill Strain Floral Couture store in Mayfair kept the autumnal feel (Jonathan Brady/PA)
A display of leaves and pumpkins outside Neill Strain Floral Couture store in Mayfair
Neill Strain Floral Couture opted for the pumpkin wreath to decorate its storefront (Jonathan Brady/PA)

At the home of Dracula, visitors to Whitby Abbey were treated to an illumination display and a production of If These Stones Could Talk.

Lights illuminate the ruins of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire to mark Halloween
Lights illuminate the ruins of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire to mark Halloween (Danny Lawson/PA)
Lights illuminate the ruins of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire to mark Halloween
Visitors to the English Heritage property, which was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, can also see a production of If These Stones Could Talk from the Time Will Tell theatre group (Danny Lawson/PA)
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