SCREAM PARK UK
EventCity, Phoenix Way, Trafford Park
Until Sunday, November 2

AS Halloween approaches, a live and interactive experience has opened at the cavernous exhibition centre, EventCity.

Manchester’s biggest new scare attraction — Scream Park UK — opened its doors last week and is open until Sunday, November 2, no doubt inspired by a raft of recent, popular zombie series including Dead Set, In The Flesh and The Walking Dead.

Scream Park UK sees a zombie apocalypse descend on Greater Manchester with the venue, next to intu Trafford Centre, billed as the only safe zone from a terrifying invasion.

The experience begins as soon as you enter the front doors, where armed military stand guard, and an eerie atmosphere descends on the crowds while waiting and wondering what lies within the main area.

Having read the promotional material which promises “spine-chilling enactment scenes which send shivers down your spine at every turn” and warns the event is not for the “faint-hearted”, I was ready to be spooked like never before.

Unfortunately, it did not quite live up to expectations when it came to the ‘terrifying’ aspect of it but it was a fun evening out.

I have been to other horror attractions which I found much more scary and intense, possibly because they were outside and you follow a path where actors dressed as freaky characters scare you along the way.

With Scream Park UK, you are left to wander among the zombies who occasionally approach you.

hen they do, they may give chase for a short amount of time which gets the adrenaline pumping but they are too few and far between.

A selection of games, food and drinks stalls in the indoor section did nothing to help the illusion and it would have been better if they had been in a separate area.

Outside, there is a raft of fairground rides which are included in the ticket price of £20 which certainly got some blood-curdling screams out of me.

The experience is billed as four hours long but we stayed for two-and-a-half, about 50 minutes indoors including a drink at the bar, and then the rest on the fair.

If you fancy a laugh with a group of friends and will make the most of the funfair to justify the ticket price then give Scream Park UK a go this Halloween.

Recommended for ages 15 plus, visit screamparkuk.com.