THE half term week promises to give families a chance to enjoy some spooky activities at a number of venues across Worcestershire.

The Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle is staging a Hallowe’en themed week with fun children’s craft activities every day from Tuesday to Friday - October 27 to 30.

Children can enjoy making autumn wreaths, brass rubbings and owl masks and Halloween themed activities such as creepy castle models, mummy code wheels and scary skeletons will be available. Activities, taking place from 10.30am to 4pm, vary daily but three different ones will be available each day.

And throughout the week children can have fun carving their own Hallowe’en pumpkin to take home or following an explorer trail around the museum to discover over 1,000 years of history.

Museum manager Rachel Robinson said: "Our half term craft activities are a great way to spend the holidays. There are fun and creative activities for all to enjoy covering the themes of autumn and Hallowe’en. This year will also see the return of our very popular pumpkin carving sessions."

Throughout the week the Castle Kitchen Café will be serving a range of tasty treats including some autumn specials and spooky cakes. After lunch children can let off steam in the nature reserve where the trees will be turning fantastic shades of red and gold.

Visitors can call 01299 250416 or visit www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk for the full programme of activities.

The Royal Infirmary Museum is staging two events over the Hallowe’en weekend. They are Medicine and Witchcraft in Seventeenth-Century England on Friday October 30 at 7.30pm which explores the lost world of medicine and witchcraft in the age of the English Civil War.

Dr Darren Oldridge - a specialist in early modern religious history with a particular interest in witchcraft and the Devil - will give a presentation.

Hospitals at Hallowe’en will take place at the Infirmary on Saturday October 31 from 11am to 4pm

People can experience the gory side of hospital work with family activities about deadly disease and amputation.

They can find the cats and bats through the exhibition or carry out their own science experiments. For more information visit www.worcester.ac.uk/your-home/the-infirmary. Both events are free.

Ralph Court Gardens near Bromyard will be putting on a special light display in the days before Hallowe’en. The three acre garden will be opened during half term week and more than half a kilometre of paths will be illuminated by 400 carved pumpkins.

The owners have also created a walk through a horror tunnel with horrific sights, sounds and smells for those with a strong constitution.

For more information about events in Worcestershire thorough half term visit http://www.visitworcestershire.org/events/ or ring 01905 673617

Habberley Valley Nature Reserve near Kidderminster is staging a Spooky Woodland Trail with owls and bats for company on Thursday October 29. Visitors can take part in apple bobbin, donut dunking and listen to scary tales at the fiendish woodland camp.

This activity must be booked online www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/bookings or by ringing 01562 732975.

The National Trust’s Croome Court near Pershore is offering a Spellbinding Hallowe’en Trail where visitors can follow the clues in the grounds to find the ingredients to make a witch of wizard’s brew from Thursday October 22 to Sunday November 1 from 10am to 4pm.

And from October 24 to 31 there will be performances inside the court called Hallowe’en Croome Encounters where people can follow two pupils from St Joseph's Boys' School through the house and learn about some of Croome's spooky stories.

It's set in 1979 and Robert and Jimmy are about to embark on an exciting quest to find ancient Egyptian objects and a mythical sword hidden at Croome Court.

Visitors should meet in the basement next to Soul to Sole (the shoe room!) for the start of the performances.

More Information is available by ringing the visitor reception on 01905 370002 or e-mailing croome@nationaltrust.org.uk

Croome will also be staging a full moon guided walk around the parkland and discover the estate after dark on Monday October 26. Visitors should arrive at 5.30pm. The walk starts at 6pm, and finishes at 8pm.