STRABANE District Council's Autumn Arts Programme took a spooky twist at the weekend as parents and children geared up for Halloween.

Throughout Saturday morning, children got into the Halloween spirit with storytelling by staff at Strabane Library. The young people then moved into in the library and theatre foyer to create drawings of spooks and monsters, as part of the UK's Big Draw Campaign. This project was designed to encourage children and adults to experiment with the arts while helping to create a festive atmosphere in the Alley Theatre and the Library entrance foyer.

Halloween themed drawings on the walls were another part of the entertainment on offer. Children were also given the opportunity, with the aid of a professional face painter, to create scary spooks in miniature form.

The gallery space also became a base for kiddie's fun, with children's entertainer Parky putting a magic show, much to the delight of the huge number of children attending. The events rolled to a close with a noisy response to Mr Punch and his antics on his fellow puppets Judy, the baby and Mr Plod the policeman from the enthralled audience.

Still to come this week as part of the the Arts on the Move programme are children's arts and crafts classes in

Newtownstewart Center 2000 and Strabane Library today (Thursday) and Sion Mills Community Hall and Dergvalley Leisure Centre tomorrow.

The finale of the children's classes complete with arts and crafts and performance workshops will take place on Saturday November 3 in Strabane Library.

It is advisable to pre-book these workshops as there are only limited places in each workshop. This can be done by contacting Jean Smyth, Arts Development Officer on 028 71382204 or by emailing jsmyth@jstrabanedc.com.