Sighthill family transform home into terrifying Halloween house of horrors

Jack, nine, and Jessica, six, McCallum outside their home in Sighthill Drive.

Leanne and Billy McCallum have draped their house in blood-curdling decorations.

A warning “enter if you dare” hangs above the spooky entrance surrounded by boarded-up windows, giant spiders and gravestones.

“When I come home in the evening I’ve even scared myself,” laughed Leanne, who has taken great delight in creating a spooky experience for the neighbourhood kids to enjoy.

“There is a hanging man that swings outside the front of the house and as I am coming back it really scares me – but that’s probably also the fear that my husband will jump out at me!”

The McCallums have been scaring the living daylights out of trick or treaters for three years and enjoy pushing the limits even further every year.

It started as a bit of fun but now the family take their eerie endeavours very seriously and have gained notoriety as the scariest haunted house in the area.

Hundreds of people lined up last year to get a ghostly gander in the house of horrors. And there is always a terrifying twist for those brave enough to enter.

“I had a nursery group visit yesterday and they were too scared to cross over the road,” Leanne admitted. “I felt awful.

Edinburgh Halloween lover spends hours transforming her home into spookfest

“But a lot of children lov it and that’s what it’s all about. Creating an experience for the children and making memories for them.

“Last year I did get a handful who came half way up the stairs and then turned and ran along the road and they’d not had a sweetie yet. But we do get the odd wee song or joke which is lovely.

“We’ve got a graveyard out the front, a strobe light and a smoke machine.

“And we’ve always got a bit of a surprise.

“It really is quite scary. I know that a lot of kids are too scared to come now.”

The sinister surprise comes in the shape of Billy, whose hair-raising antics have sent kids racing to safety in the past.

Leanne added: “Last year we had about 500 kids visit the house and we spent about six hours at the door. My husband hid in the garden giving spine-chilling frights.”

But she said any savvy trick or treaters who think they can remember where he is hiding from last year are out of luck.

“I think sometimes it’s more the suspense of what’s going to happen than anything else but our kids are sworn to secrecy so we don’t ruin it for anyone.”

Leanne has ensured she is well prepared for the hordes of visitors she expects to arrive at her door with over £100 worth of sweets purchased. “We’ve run out in the past,” she admitted. “And now we’re known for it we’ve got to make sure we’re prepared. The Hallowe’en House is great fun and we love doing it.

“We love preparing our make-up and costumes as well, it’s like Christmas in our house. A donation box will be available with money going to Forth 1’s Mission Christmas appeal.”