Ah, Halloween, that magical time that we let our children wander the streets in the dark approaching strangers and eating their own body weight in sweets.
To help keep your little scary monsters and super creeps safe whilst roaming the streets, Woolworths and the Department for Transport (DfT) have teamed up to produce their top safety tips. Woolies will also be giving away a free 'Be Bright Be Seen' clip-on reflector with every fancy dress order from the 12th until the 31st of October.
Here are their top tips so you can keep it sweet when you trick or treat:
1. Plan your route: map out a trick or treating track choosing residential areas that are safe and well lit. Keep on pavements and find the safest places to cross
2. Set off early: the clocks go back the week before Halloween, so it will be dark by five. Don't leave it later to venture out and plan to be home within the hour
3. Get Reflective: add reflective accessories to bikes and outfits which will help children stand out after dark.
4. Lighten up: If children are cycling at night the law says that bikes must be fitted with clean, working lights – white at the front and red at the back – and a rear reflector
5. Take a torch: stick it in a lantern or inside a pumpkin head for maximum creepiness combined with visibility
6. Be a pumpkin, a zombie, a skeleton or a ghost: orange stands out in dim light and so do bright white sheets, white 'bandages' and white 'bones'
7. Be bright, be seen: face paints and fluorescent accessories will help adults and children to be seen – providing they are combined with reflective bands (remember fluorescents are only visible before sundown)
8. Bring a mummy: (or any responsible grown up!) and make them dress up to add to the fun
9. Be street savvy: visit www.direct.gov.uk/talesoftheroad for road safety tips told in a way that children will enjoy
10. Stick together: don't go off on a solo mission
11. Stop. Look and listen: as simple as this sounds, it can be easy to forget – especially when munching through a bag of Halloween treats. Remember never to cross the road while texting or using a mobile phone