Alton Towers is pulling out all the stops for Halloween at its Scarefest 2020 event - including a terrifying new scare maze for thrill-seekers!

Not one for the faint-hearted, the new maze 'Freak Show: Toxic Junkyard' is set in an abandoned junkyard where 'Freak Show psycho clowns' are hiding, plotting an evil plan for their next big show.

It's up to visitors to uncover the disturbing secrets - or risk becoming a main attraction for the clowns' chilling performance.

It's a walk-through experience, so you can expect to come face to face with some of the creepy residents, with plenty of jumps and screams along the way.

A poster for the new scare maze (
Image:
Alton Towers)

The new maze will join Alton Towers' existing line-up of its Halloween mazes including Altonville Mine Tours, a menacing disused mine, The Attic: Terror of Towers, said to be haunted by a vengeful governess, and Darkest Depths, where pirates await to drag you down to their infamous ghost ship.

Unsurprisingly, the mazes aren't suitable for smaller children - they're open to guests who are aged 15 or over.

However, there's plenty of spooky fun to be had for families at the event too.

Alton Towers theme park entrance (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)

Highlights include Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls, a free family experience in the park's gardens, while the Alton Towers Dungeon ride offers a chance to explore Staffordshire’s darkest history, with a bit of humour on the side.

Meanwhile, smaller kids are sure to love the 'Freaky Fun Zone' with friendly Halloween characters, a playground and plenty of shows such as Patch’s Halloween Party or ghostly tales from spooky Skelvin. (Oh, and CBeebies Land will be hosting its very own Monster Ball complete with fancy dress, games and appearances from beloved characters).

Alton Towers is set to host its annual Scarefest (
Image:
Alton Towers)

During Scarefest, the park will stay open until 9pm so visitors have plenty more time to explore the rides, rollercoasters and attractions in the dark.

Alton Towers Scarefest will run from Thursday 22nd October until Sunday 1st November 2020. Maze-combination tickets start from £22 when booked online in advance.

You can read more on the Alton Towers website.

Due to the pandemic, the theme park has introduced new health and safety measures. This includes guests being asked to take a temperature check before being allowed into the resort.

The park is limiting its number of guests for social distancing, so you'll need to pre-book your tickets online.