Hundreds of kids set to flock once again to the amazing 'Halloween House of Harborough'

A self-confessed lover of ghouls and ghosts is pouring over £1,000 into turning her home into the Halloween House of Harborough on Sunday (October 31).

Gemma Fortnum, 29, is revving up to welcome hundreds of kids and their parents to her house at 63 Highfield Street in Market Harborough as night falls and darkness descends on Sunday evening.

Gemma’s been working flat out since August to transform her terraced home into a super-spooky celebration of all things Halloween.

And she’s also hoping to fill a coffin full of cash from callers and well-wishers to swell the coffers of one of her favourite charities at the same time.

“I’ve been turning my house into a full-blooded Halloween House of Horror for six or seven years now.

“And I seem to go further and further and do more and more every year,” laughed Gemma, who’s lived there since she was just four.

“I decorate my house with the full works both inside and out.

“I’ve forked out over £700 on animatronics such as zombies and grim reapers alone this year.

“I’ve also shelled out hundreds more on smoke machines, lights, projectors, props and all sorts of goodies.

“I’ve already piled up three big boxes of sweets, candies and good bags.

“We hand out bulging goody bags to everyone who turns up in costume,” said Gemma, whose aunt Carla, a neighbour in Highfield Street, helps her out as well.

“I last put on my Halloween spectacular back in 2019 – and we had over 300 kids from all over the area roll up!

“Word of mouth soon spreads – everyone here knows who I am and what we get up to on Halloween.

“It’s been totally mad.

“I’ve been busy making my own special props since August.

“Halloween is easily my top time of the year – I even enjoy and lap it up more than Christmas,” said Gemma, who works for Market Harborough-based family firm Fortnum Home Improvements.

“We’ll be welcoming everyone from 5.30pm-8.30pm on Sunday night – and we’ll be all packed up by 9.

“I’ve already planned and plotted out what I’ll be doing for the next six Halloweens!”

Market Harborough’s very own Halloween megastar is also setting out to get behind Stoughton-based charity Neville’s Nest, which rescues guinea pigs.

“I’ve got 16 guinea pigs myself – so they are a real passion, some might say an obsession even.

“We’ll have a suitably spooky cauldron donation box outside the house on Sunday night,” said Gemma.

“So please chip in any loose change that you’ve got to help support a brilliant local animal charity and a great cause very close to my heart while you’re having a fab time with us.”

You can find out a lot more about Neville’s Nest by checking out their website here: https://www.nevillesnest.org.uk