FREDDY KRUEGER and Michael Myers stare chillingly at visitors to Lucy Barber and Chris Chiswick’s “haunted mansion” – where every day is Halloween.
The couple are such big fans of horror, they have painted their walls black and red, keep a stuffed crow on a shelf and line their bay window with DEAD red roses.
In fact, they have transformed every part of their new-build four-bedroom detached pad and garage into a spooky spectacle.
Trick-or-treaters love visiting the house, in a former mining village near Doncaster, South Yorks, because it is gory and littered with “dead bodies”.
Lucy, 38, even wears a black diamond sparkler after Chris, 51, proposed in a graveyard.
‘Made three kids cry’
The groom-to-be, a water repair worker, says: “It was Halloween 2020 and we decided to go to Sheffield cemetery for a walk round. I planned to propose to her there. Lucy happily said ‘yes’.”
Lucy smiles and reveals: “I couldn’t really say no to a black diamond.”
In the hall of the couple’s home hangs a photo — in a coffin-shaped frame — from the day they got engaged. It takes pride of place alongside snaps of their holidays to Transylvania — Dracula’s fictional home.
Transport manager Lucy, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Wednesday Addams, of the Addams Family, only wears black — or occasionally red.
Upstairs, a sign above the main bedroom reads “Chapel of Rest” and the room beside it has been converted to a walk-in wardrobe.
Lucy, who is manager of her family’s freight firm, admits: “I wouldn’t be seen dead in pink and I don’t own anything white. Wednesday Addams is one of my idols. She’s who I’ve aspired to be ever since I was a child.
“She’s a bit morbid. I’ve always had that Wednesday ‘resting bitch face’. Some people have said I look a lot younger than my age. That’s because of the Wednesday face. We don’t smile much. No wrinkles.”
Across the landing, another bedroom has been turned into a cinema, where they can watch scary films on a 100in screen.
Chris recalls: “The first film that really scared me was American Werewolf In London.
“There were others, like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare On Elm Street, which I saw when I was about 11.”
We were worried the neighbours might think we’re satanists
Chris
In the eerie kitchen, even the kettle, washing machine and tumble dryer are black. Lucy reveals: “It’s the only house where we can get away with cobwebs.
“I don’t get rid of them because they look nice. I’m not bothered by spiders.”
The couple also share their home with a hairless Sphynx cat, Myers, named after Michael Myers, the murderous star of the Halloween slasher films.
Their garage is a mini museum honouring some of the most notorious killers from horror movies.
A life-size Myers is there, along with a bust of Nightmare On Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger and a 3ft Gremlin. Outside is a pentagram and Lucy’s “witchy herb garden”.
Chris admits: “We were worried the neighbours might think we’re satanists.” But Lucy adds quickly: “We’re not, we’re nice people.
“They all love us, especially at Halloween. They’ve all been waiting for us to decorate the outside of our house. Halloween is our Christmas. We must have had 150 kids here last year. I’m expecting more this year.”
Last year, we did Jason from Friday The 13th, he chases the kids around the street with plastic weapons
Lucy
Chris warns their Halloween props are not “nice, cutesy” — but gory, with “dead bodies” everywhere. And Lucy jokes: “We only made three kids cry last year.”
Chris plans to stick to his annual dressing up tradition tonight. “Last year, we did Jason from Friday The 13th,” says Lucy.
“He chases the kids around the street with plastic weapons.
“He’s doing Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre this year. He’s ordered a fake chainsaw off eBay that makes noises.
“The kids are going to love it, but they must be prepared to be very, very afraid.”
