Edinburgh's Halloween house has work done to allow for more spooky treats this year

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Work is nearly complete at Edinburgh’s Halloween house to allow for more ghosts and ghouls to entertain the kids this year.

The McCallum house at Sighthill Drive has thrilled youngsters over the past few years with an immersive Halloween display featuring lots of scary mechanical and human attractions.

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As well as entertaining thousands of children and their families every year, the Halloween house also raises thousands of pounds for the Sick Kids charity, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, with those marvelling at the house encouraged to donate in the charity buckets in front of the Sighthill home.

This year the family has had work done at the front of their home to allow them to offer more for the kids to see and enjoy, with work nearly finished and the Halloween displays due to be installed soon.

Mum of three Leanne McCallum revealed that the decorations will be in place very soon, and she explained more about why her family invites locals to their front garden every Halloween.

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She said: “We are probably going to do it next weekend, depending on the weather. We have been getting the front garden landscaped just now. There are more paving stones down now so it will give us more space to put up more Halloween stuff.

The front of the McCallums' house at Sighthill Drive is transformed every Halloween.The front of the McCallums' house at Sighthill Drive is transformed every Halloween.
The front of the McCallums' house at Sighthill Drive is transformed every Halloween. | Submitted

“We want to raise as much money as possible. When we first started we raised money for Forth 1 Cash for Kids, and for the past four years we’ve been raising money for the Sick Kids’ charity.

“I have got three kids so we used the Sick Kids’ Hospital a fair few times, which made us change to raising money for them. Everybody at the charity is great, and it’s such a great cause.

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“They contact me throughout the year and I have got to know a couple of the girls that run the charity, so it feels a bit more personal helping them.

“I will meet up with them just after we’ve decorated for Halloween and they will give us collection buckets and banners.

“This year it’s going to be a bit different. We have been watching a lot of horror films to do some research and get some new ideas.

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“We have a couple of people helping us out this year, so there will be more real people dressing up and scaring the kids and adults. We can’t wait!”

Another photo from a previous Halloween at the McCallums' Halloween house at Sighthill Drive in Edinburgh.Another photo from a previous Halloween at the McCallums' Halloween house at Sighthill Drive in Edinburgh.
Another photo from a previous Halloween at the McCallums' Halloween house at Sighthill Drive in Edinburgh. | Submitted

Leanne and her family have loved providing some scary treats for local children over the years.

She said: “It must be about seven or eight years now, although we had a year off during Covid, as it’s only one way in and out of the garden.

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“It has got more popular every year, regardless of the weather as well, it doesn’t stop anyone coming.

“The kids get sweets and love all the exhibits, which will be there again this year, with some new stuff. We will see how it goes this year, we just want to raise as much money as possible for the charity.

“It’s for a good cause and we love doing it every year.”

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