Scary look for young Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs are backing a push by the Heart of Devon Tourism Partnership to encourage people to get out and get ‘spooked’ this Halloween.

Young guns Lloyd Fairbrother and Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan-Dickie transformed into spooks themselves, dressing up in fancy dress costumes, donning wigs and putting on make-up following training at Sandy Park this week.

Prop Lloyd, 21, became a slain warrior back from the dead, hooker Luke, 20, took on the alter ego of a scary clown, while full-back Jack Nowell, 20, was transformed into a spooky undead American footballer, complete with head-dress.

Jack said: "It was good fun dressing up and getting our faces painted after a hard day's training. It brings back memories of my youth. I think my colleagues look good. They’d scare me!”

A range of unusual Halloween treats are available in the Heart of Devon this half-term including the Tram of Terror at Seaton Tramway, Extreme Gory Stories in the depths of Exeter’s Underground Passages and Shriek Week at Powderham Castle, all detailed at www.heartofdevon.com

Derek Phillips, Heart of Devon Chairman, said: “Halloween has become a huge event and it’s great to see so many attractions being creative in what they’re offering people this half-term. We’re grateful to the Exeter Chiefs for their support. I know they’re used to terrorising the opposition and when they take on their Halloween personas they certainly spook me!”

Mark Stevens, Exeter Chiefs Media Manager, said: “The players were a bit hesitant at first, dressing up and being plastered with make up is not something you normally associate with rugby players, but they loved it. They rampaged around Sandy Park and got to keep the costumes which they were delighted with.”

Ben Norris, of Mainline Fancy Dress on Sidwell Street, supplied the costumes. He said: “The guys were naturals. They are used to being scary and they really took in their individual characters. I think Lloyd loved the hair.”

The Heart of Devon Tourism Partnership has been carrying out a survey in Devon to find out what scares people the most at Halloween, with the results to be announced on Halloween itself.

They will also be putting behind the scenes photos of the Halloween transformation of Lloyd, Luke and Jack on www.heartofdevon.com in the coming days.

Heart of Devon Halloween events include:

26-31 Oct Halloween Tram of Terror at Seaton Tramway
26-31 Oct: Electric Shock o' Horror Zombie Fest at Seaton Tramway (over 12s only)
26 Oct-1 Nov: Halloween at Devon's Crealy
27-31 Oct Shriek Week at Powderham Castle
28-30 Oct Halloween at Darts Farm
29-31 Oct Halloween at the Donkey Sanctuary
31 Oct Extreme Gory Stories at Exeter's Underground Passages (over 14s only)

www.heartofdevon.com for more Halloween what’s on events.