A Halloween house of horrors will frighten trick or treaters while raising money for a hospice which helped a popular sister who died after a battle with brain cancer.

Gary and Caroline Pringle’s house in Juniper Crescent in Witham was decked out in spooky decorations to raise money for Farleigh Hospice.

The hospice cared for Gary’s sister Tracy Pringle, 46, before her death on New Year’s Eve.

It is the first year the couple, who have decorated their home each year for 15 years, will be raising money for charity.

Tributes poured in for Tracy, who was a medical and well-being officer at Alec Hunter Academy, following her death.

Gary, 45, who works in IT, said: “We were blown away by the messages. We were overwhelmed but it made it easier to get through the hurt.

“Everybody wants to leave a stamp and she did.

“Farleigh Hospice were wonderful. They did an amazing job looking after her and we thought we might as well try and do something to give back.

“We don’t expect it will be massive this year but we hope to raise a little bit and people will then start to know we are doing to for charity.”

The garden will be filled with tombstones, smoke and cobwebs and Gary and Caroline, 44, a chef at Alec Hunter Academy, spent three days putting the scene together.

Gary added: “The kids take the tome to go out on a cold autumn night and we want to make it worth their while.

“It has got bigger and bigger. Last year we got a projector and we project an image of a witch who is cackling.

“This year we have a gazebo which is blacked out, an electric chair, a guillotine and stocks for people to take pictures with.

“A lot of people talk about it and tell their friends and we have people saying they will come along this year.”

People are invited to visit the house tomorrow.