VIDEO: Halloween fun day in the Carfax

A fancy dress parade, organised by Horsham Rotary Club, saw children march from Swan Walk to the bandstand in the Carfax and experience the excitement of being centre-stage of the popular annual competition, earlier today.

Georgina Shinkawa, of Partridge Green, came into town to celebrate Halloween with her six-year-old daughter, Chiane.

She said: “There’re lots of lovely free events and good decorations and the kids are having a lot of fun.

“[Chiane’s] going to be here for quite a while.”

The witchy Halloween party will run until 4pm and include a pumpkin-carving competition, arts and crafts, face-painting and street entertainment.

Judging for the pumpkin-carving will start at 3pm.

The Horsham Rotary Club team at Swan Walk have been kept ‘very very busy’ today with parents and children visiting their collection of decorated giraffes.

Peter Lake, president of the club, said: “It’s been manic! It’s very very busy - I’ve never seen so many children and parents in my life.”

The team were surprised at the turnout, in light of the poor weather this morning.

John Le Rossignol, the treasurer, said: “We thought it’d be really quiet when it poured down with rain this morning - as soon as it stopped everybody pouted in.

“It’s amazingly popular.”

On the fancy dress he added: “It’s fantastic, like everything else today. We’ve been doing this for a number of years; a number of children enter and it’s a big moment for them to go on stage and hopefully win a prize for having the best fancy dress.”