A MUDDY autumnal pumpkin trail at a historic hall attracted record attendance levels.

More than 200 children took part in the third annual Gawthorpe Hall Pumpkin Trail at the grounds of the 17th century hall in Burnley Road, Padiham on Saturday.

The hall, which was built between 1600 and 1605, attracts 26,00 visitors a year and is famous for being a haunted house.

Using a road map, children walked around the hall’s grounds to find the 20 hidden pumpkins which would give them clues in their quest to complete the trail’s quiz.

Each participant recorded their answers on a clipboard which was handed to them at the start of the 30-minute long trail.

Answers to the quiz question answers were etched onto pumpkins dotted around the hall grounds.

Along the way walkers bumped into Hallowe’en ghosts and ghouls and hidden objects including broomsticks and cauldrons.

Walkers who completed the quiz were given a certificate at the end to mark their achievement.

Rachel Pollit, who has been Gawthorpe hall manager for nine years, said: “It was manic.

“I expected about 60 people to turn up, which is a fairly busy afternoon, but to get over 200 was crazy.

“The event makes the grounds come alive.

“We had more pumpkins this year than we’ve ever had before and they were real as well.

“It’s great to have a lot of people from Padiham visit. The trail had a very local feel.”

Alastair Cooper, who works as a museum assistant at Gawthorpe Hall, said: “It was a really successful and popular event this year.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

“It was definitely the numbers that struck me.

“There were hundreds of people who came long which is far more than usual.

“The queue for the pumpkin trail was like a mile long.”