Family opens their Halloween horror house for 19th year in a row

By Elizabeth Hunter

A family is set to open their Halloween house for the 19th year in a row - and they say it's better than Christmas.

William and Roslyn Howson, 70 and 63, began opening their home on Halloween after decorating for their grandson's spooky birthday party.

The couple's elaborate decorations led to visitors coming from all over town - and quickly became an eagerly anticipated event in Motherwell, Scotland.

Each year, the whole Howson family get involved - in a spooky show that they call "better than Christmas."

William's daughter Nicola, 31, helped her dad with the set-up this year, as the pair spent 12 weeks decorating the indoors and gardens with props and figures.

She said: "It was my nephew's birthday on 1 October - and 19 years ago, it fell on a Friday night.