GHOULS and witches are abound with Halloween on its way . . . but Westhoughton High School already has a skeleton in the cupboard.

As revealed last week, a gruesome murder mystery proved a popular attraction at the School's open evening.

And this picture shows the gruesome "scene of crime".

Visitors were told the skeleton belonged to fictional science teacher, Dr Electra Spectrum and some of the gruesome evidence was there for all to see.

Guest pupil detectives were not only asked to note the more obvious knife stuck through the heart, but to test blood typing from samples found on the body, finger print and foot print evidence left at the scene, testing of fibres under the microscope and using UV light, testing of stomach contents -- the murderer sickened by his or her actions had vomited on the victim, and making slime that was found on the victim.

In addition motives and alibis had to be trawled through.

Pupils taking part were asked to fill in an evidence card and as revealed last week, the murderer was discovered to be Mrs Peacock.

Winning detective was Stacey Menzies.

A school spokesman explained: "The purpose of this was to show the parents of prospective year seven pupils the skills their children will develop in Science at Westhoughton, and the way in which the Science curriculum can be made fun."

The murder mystery contest proved so popular with visitors that the block eventually had to be sealed off to limit numbers. The scene of the crime at the Westhoughton High School murder mystery