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One Richmond family went the extra mile to ensure more than 100 children did not miss out on their normal Halloween fun at the weekend.

St Margarets resident Scott Doyle put his DIY skills to use to create a contraption that allowed trick or treaters to pick up a few sweets without any risk.

Trick or treaters were met with a black drainpipe tube extending from the first-floor window, from which the Doyle family would send down individually wrapped sweets.

Before the big day, Mr Doyle said: "I went to B&Q and got a 5-metre-long piece of PVC pipe which I'm running out the first-floor window down to the street to drop candy through.

"Got a spooky battery powered 'doorbell' to ring for candy. The house is decorated, we've bought a sealed 4kg container of candy. We are ready to go!"

Pictures and a short video taken on the evening showed children eagerly waiting at the end of the trick or treat chute outside the spookily decorated house, which proved to be a huge draw.

Once the festivities were over Mr Doyle said: "It went down a treat. Probably had over 100 kids come by."

This creative answer to coronavirus restrictions came after Richmond Council advised against trick or treating on safety grounds.

The council said shortly before Halloween: "Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year's Halloween celebrations will be different for many families. Traditional trick or treat traditions of children ringing on doorbells and putting their hands in the same bowls now pose an unnecessary risk.

"The virus can remain on many surfaces long after the contact and as a result, areas such as door knockers and bells can act as a transmitter of the virus while increasing the chances of spreading the virus to others."

Council leader Gareth Roberts said: "Like so many things this year, Covid-19 has affected the way we do things and Halloween is no different. We want to encourage residents to celebrate Halloween but to do so in a way that is both safe for them and those around them. Richmond is currently in the High tier of Covid-19 cases which means we must continue to show vigilance to ensure we slow the spread of the virus while continuing to social distance, wearing face masks and avoiding unnecessary contacts with others."

The council offered a series of alternative activities to help kids and families to celebrate Halloween, including a colouring competition and a spooky home decoration contest over social media.

Government guidance suggested trick or treating could safely happen in Richmond as long as children didn't step inside another home, which would breach Tier 2 rules.

Other trick or treaters used fishing nets which they asked residents to put chocolates and sweets in.