Clouds of mist swallowed up children and their parents as a spooky ghost train puffed through Oxfordshire, write Nigel Hanson and Rebecca Smith.

The Hallowe'en Special was laid on at the weekend by the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Preservation Society.

The steam engine Robert Stephenson Hawthorn No. 7151 was transformed into a ghost train after its arrival on the line last week.

All aboard went ghoulish pumpkins and cut-out ghosts as the train made several hair-raising trips between Wallingford and Cholsey.

The engine is expected to stay until after Christmas, so kids can visit Santa in an on-board grotto.

And the CWRP Society is currently negotiating with Linden Homes, developer of the Pauls Malt site, for the use of more land by the railway to expand its operations.

As the trick-or-treat theme got into full swing, charity volunteers did their worst to scare shoppers out of their money.

Staff at Oxfam, in London Road, Headington, raised about 100 for homeless children in Tanzania on national community service volunteer recruitment day.

Shop manager Louise Hayward said some people dressed as mad scientists, witches or pumpkins and others baked goods to sell in the shop. The Hallowe'en fun goes on this week in the hope of raising more money for the fund to aid youngsters in East Africa.

They will be telling teeth-clenching Hallowe'en jokes such as: What is black, white and orange? A penguin with a pumpkin.

Ms Hayward said she hoped customers would pay up to stop the wisecracks.