A Liverpool home has been transformed into a gallery of ghouls ahead of Halloween – and we can’t believe the effort its owners have gone to.
Francis McIsaac and Julie Smith spent nine days preparing their end-of-terrace house in Norris Green for the spooky season. Among the props on display in the couple’s garden are a guillotine, electric chair, gallows and coffins, which may be hiding some surprises.
Ice cream man McIsaac, 51, said: “We’ve been doing this about six years. We started doing it for our own kids when they were younger and it just grew and grew.
“It’s nice to give something back to the community.”
The gardens are open to the public to look around between 6pm and 9pm this Halloween week – and the family collect donations for nearby Sandfield Park School, for children with disabilities.
McIsaac, a grandfather-of-four, makes many of the moving props himself in the garage of the house, and on Halloween itself the family put on costumes to scare the visitors.
“People love the house, although their reactions are not so good when we jump out at them,” joked McIsaac. “There are children who have been coming to see it since they were one and are now seven years old.
“My partner enjoys Halloween more than me, but I like making all the props.”
Usually it takes McIsaac six to eight hours to make something, but if it’s an animated prop it can take a little longer. Last year, the house of horrors made £700 for the school, but the couple hope to raise even more this year.
“This year we have had more than 2,000 shares of the pictures we put on Facebook,” he said.
“Last year we had to close the doors and only let a few people in at a time and this year we think it will be even busier.”
