A south Pembrokeshire village was hauntingly beautiful and gruesomely grisly on Hallowe’en night to stake its claim as the spookiest village in the county.

A stormy evening heralded the first-ever St Florence Spooky Trail, which fired up the imagination of volunteers throughout the village and brought forth some creative geniuses who made extraordinary decorations.

Not only did the trail look spooky, but the fantastic costumes won by the children and adults added to the excitement.

The first part of the trail featured dream catchers, witches, skeletons, cobwebs and magnificent spiders - nothing to give the smaller visitors nightmares, although the resident ghost caused some shivers.

But those brave enough to step beyond the ford found that the trail’s second section was not for the faint-hearted.

It began with a bloodthirsty guillotine tableau andcontinued with scary clowns, grisly apparitions, a sinister plague doctor and bats before ending with a thunderstorm and menacing characters inhabiting the ruined mill.

The colourful pumpkin competition brought forth an outstanding display, covering all age groups, which was expertly judged by St Florence’s local artist Graham Hadlow.

St Florence school supplied the refreshments which were very welcome on such a stormy evening and raised much-needed funds.

Generous donations were also given towards a fund to provide more village events in future.

 Many sponsors helped to make the evening a success -Bargain Box in Pembroke supplied inflatable costumes, the Parsonage Inn provided Hallowe’en props, Greenhills Hotel lit the trail, Sam Deakin served up hot dogs and Absolute Events Bars the drinks.

The cakes were provided by the brilliant bakers in the village.

The St Florence Spooky Trail was suggested by Sue Thomas and Bella Chandley as a way to give something to the community after such a long period without any of the usual festivities, and their band of volunteers included  Mike and Maria Harris, Carol Taylor, Ann Eardley, Nadia Probert and Naomi Wolverson.

 St Florence is now getting ready for Father Christmas to arrive on his sleigh on a date to be announced when the skies are clear, and the village’s entertaining Swede Roll will be back on December 29.