A Gartocharn cottage has put on a spooktacular display this Halloween – for a great local cause.
Bruce and Angela Cairns have decorated Bridgend Cottage in the village with an incredible display, which is proving a big hit with locals looking to make the most of spooky season.
And the display is all for a good cause, with a collection box outside asking frightened visitors to donate to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) which runs the nearby Robin House hospice in Balloch.
Lit with an eerie green glow, the incredible swamp-based display features skeletons, skulls and pumpkin monsters – whilst a crocodile lurks beneath misty waters.
The couple initially started decorating their home for Halloween whilst they lived in London, and have relished the opportunity to work with a bigger canvas since moving to Gartocharn three years ago.
Bruce told the Lennox: “It was really just a way to celebrate the date and give some joy to the kids.
“It grew a bit out of hand over the years, to the point where hundreds of kids showed up on Halloween. People were turning up in taxis because they wanted to see it.
“When we moved up to Gartocharn three years ago we had an even bigger stage, because in London we just had a single driveway, now we’ve got the whole frontage of the house to use so we’ve expanded things a bit!
“It’s clear to me that it never ends. It gets more complex every year and it’s expanded and expanded.
“It started out just as Halloween. Then it became Halloween and Christmas. Then Easter as well.”
Work starts months in advance for the incredible display, with Angela doing the design – and Bruce the assembly.
Angela laughed: “I’m the one who sits and puts all the designs together and then my poor husband gets a picture and asked if he can build it.
“Normally the answer is ‘I can build something that’s kind of like that’.
“We start on it generally in June, and the construction phase kicks off in late August.
“It’s really nice to know it’s appreciated because it takes a lot of weekends.”
Bruce meanwhile says seeing the look on visitors’ faces makes all the effort worthwhile.
He continued: “It’s been amazing seeing the joy it brings. We’re right beside the primary school and they bring the kids over in groups on Halloween itself to get treats and see the scenes we’ve created. It’s really enjoyable to see all the kids having a great time.
“It’s helped us to meet new people and was a key thing in building some good friendships with people around the village when they stopped by to take a look at it. It was a real conversation starter.
“We usually pick a different charity every year and this time it was CHAS.
“Supporting the charities is something we started in London and wanted to continue when we were up here.”
And Angela paid tribute to the local community in Gartocharn for embracing their creations.
She added: “When you’re in the house making a cup of tea and you hear the squeals as they are walking past, it’s great. That’s why we do it, it gives us a lot of joy and a lot of fun.
“When we moved here we thought the neighbours would all think that we were absolutely crazy. But they love it. They probably still think we’re crazy – but they love it!”
Thanking the couple for their support, CHAS Community Fundraiser Cara Bowden said: “We are grateful to Bruce and Angela for deciding to donate the proceeds from their spooky Halloween display to CHAS.
“All donations we receive enable us to continue our work supporting children with life-shortening conditions and their families and helping them create precious memories together.”
The display will remain in place until the first week of November, when the couple will begin work on their Christmas showstopper.
Local photographer James C Duncan was brave enough to send us these pictures.