FROM screaming jelly babies in the fire labs to open heart surgery on the lawns — this University of Bolton has been entertaining youngsters all week as part of Manchester Science Festival.

Now, excited science fans have been able to create their own Halloween costumes at the University’s Special Effects Department.

Those taking part were able to ‘grab’ the chance to create their own Halloween horror-film props. They not only learned about plaster casting but also how to decorate their new ghoulish hands.

The festival draws to a close today with the final event ‘Messy Science’ giving young people the chance to learn about science while making a right good mess at the same time.

Youngsters wanting to get messy can do so in the university’s Social Learning Zone either between 10.30am and 12pm or between 2pm and 3.30pm.

Other sessions this week have seen budding doctors and nurses learn how to perform emergency open heart surgery and aspiring architects creating structures using just spaghetti and marshmallows.

Another class of eager young scientists watched in awe as Dr John Milnes created fires and controlled explosions at the Flashes and Bangs workshop in the university's fire laboratories.

Dr Gill Smart has been organising Bolton’s science festival events, packing ‘exciting’ into ‘educational’ for all the half-term events.

Dr Smart, of the Institute for materials Research and Innovation (IMRI) said: “For us, the science festival is as much fun as it is for the young people who come to take part in our activities. If we can inspire a few young people to seek a career in science we will consider our job well done.”

The festival is now in its 8th year aims to bring out people’s scientific side with a blend of art, performances and workshops across the Greater Manchester region.