A half-term packed with magic, potions, pumpkins and creepy critters will serve up a week of fun at Weston Park later this month.

The stately home, on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, has lined up a packed week of autumnal events centred on its magnificent Walled Garden to mark the school holiday, Halloween and Bonfire Night.

The week, running from October 28 to November 4, sees the return of the hugely-popular Pumpkin Patch in the Walled Garden, animal encounters and creepy critter shows from Zoolabs and exciting magic activities hosted by Weston Park’s outdoor education team, Educating Kids Outdoors.

The Pumpkin Patch will be open from 11am – 2pm every day, giving visitors the chance to pick their own perfect pumpkin, pose for some special photographs with pumpkins carved by the fabulous Weston gardeners and take their prized pumpkin home to carve for Halloween.

On October 30 and November 1, animal-encounter experts Zoolabs will bring their Creepy Critters show to the estate.  The educational shows – which have been inspiring youngsters for more than 20 years – feature the chance to get up close with a host of small animals and creepy crawlies and will be staged in the Stables Courtyard.

The chance to make a bubbling magic potion and your own wand with Educating Kids Outdoors is on offer on October 30 and 31 between 10.45am and 3.45pm.

Potion Making will involve running through Weston’s historic orchard to find the ingredients and mixing them together to create a magical brew. It will run on a first-come first-served basis and visitors must register to a time slot to take part.

Jennifer Astbury, Head of Estate Operations at Weston Park, said “October Half Term is jam-packed with exciting Halloween and autumn-themed activities to get involved in.

‘’All these activities will be at no additional charge on top of standard admission prices.

‘’The whole estate will also be open so youngsters can have all the fun they like in the Woodland Adventure Playground, adults can enjoy autumn walks through Temple Wood and everyone can have lots of adventures across the estate.’’

The half-term week culminates in the annual Bonfire and Fireworks Night on November 5 – with two dazzling firework displays, one of the region’s biggest bonfires, a magical fun fair and mouth-watering street food.

For more information on October Half Term at Weston Park visit: https://weston-park.com/october-half-term/

For more information on Educating Kids Outdoors at Weston Park visit: https://weston-park.com/educating-kids-outdoors/