With the nights now getting darker earlier, it is all the more important to exercise sensible levels of caution when out on foot and when driving around in residential areas.

Nobody would want the frightening but fun evening to turn into something genuinely terrifying and to help make sure everyone enjoys the experience, the police and council have issued the following safety advice:

TRICK OR TREATERS

• Stay in a group.
• Make sure a responsible adult or guardian goes with you.
• Plan your route before you leave the house and make sure someone knows where you are going.
• Carry a torch and wear reflective clothing.
• Never enter a stranger's home.
• Respect others' property and don’t call on homes that have the 'sorry no trick or treat' poster.

PARENTS

• Supervise younger children.
• Remind teenagers to respect others' property.
• Encourage children to call only on their friends.
• Make sure you know where they're going, who with and when they'll be back.
  
  Halloween decorations turning Swindon into 'ghost' town
  
  SHOPKEEPERS
• Don't sell eggs and flour to young people and remember selling fireworks to under-18s is an offence.
  
  Kids carve out scary Halloween fun  
  
  MOTORISTS
• Drive slowly through residential areas.
• Take extra time to look out for children
• Signal for children to cross the road
• Enter and exit driveways slowly
• Don’t overtake cars that have stopped in the road

The North Swindon police team have also used the opportunity to get creative with a Halloween themed poem.

Bats and witches take to flight
Giving all in North Swindon an awful fright.
Our officers patrol the streets tonight.
Better behave as arrest they might.
When you’re walking in the darkest place.
Always remember to be safe.
Ghosts and gouls have lots of fun.
Happy Halloween to everyone.