A CHARITY which provides opportunities for children and young people to learn and grow has teamed up with parents to secure nearly £1,500 of donations by staging a Covid-secure Halloween event.

While trick or treating was widely ignored this year due to the pandemic, North Yorkshire Youth which runs Carlton Lodge Activity Centre, near Thirsk, organised an outdoor Halloween themed trail around its grounds to entertain children.

The event, which the Friends of Carlton Miniott Primary School helped run, was made safe by limiting numbers and staggering the start times and tickets sold out in advance.

Hidden around the woods and fields there was a witch serving up some eyeball flavoured brew on her fire; a half-man, half-dragon demonstrating axe-throwing skills, floodlit archery and a marshmallow toasting fire. There was also a ‘coronavirus’ hanging from a tree that customers were encouraged to beat with a baseball bat.

The money raised will be split between the friends of the school and the charity’s bursary fund. David Sharp, of North Yorkshire Youth, said: “It was wonderful to be able to safely get over 270 people here in this current climate.”