The capital's top 10 horrific Halloween events

From pumpkin carving competitions to blood-splattered menus, Sarah Marshall rates her top 10 horrific Halloween events...

1. AFTERNOON APPARITIONS
Take a more refined approach to Halloween with an afternoon tea at The Dorchester. Following the success of their fabulous Mad Hatter's Tea in April, the hotel has appointed young dancers from the English National Ballet School to entertain guests. Dressed as characters from their Canterville Ghost production, dancers will flit through tables like ghostly apparitions as guests enjoy a selection of sandwiches and pastries. Children are also welcome. Park Lane, W1. Sittings are at 2.15pm and 4.45pm from October 24 to 28. Halloween Afternoon Tea costs £52 for adults (including a glass of champagne) and £30 for children. Call 020 7629 8888

2. A REAL GUT-PLEASER
Tales of skull-cracking and throat-slitting aren't exactly dinner table talk but Putney Pies have devised a devilishly delicious menu themed loosely around the idea. On Sunday October 30 and Monday 31, diners will be treated to a mini play based on the story of murderous barber Sweeney Todd, with a humorous menu of ghoulish dishes. Try Benjamin Barker's Eyeball Soup (meatballs) served with Black Spaghetti Worms, followed by a Barber's Chicken Pie with Bloody Cranberry Gravy and Pumpkin Mash. This fabulous local restaurant attracts diners from all over the city. 136 Upper Richmond Road, SW15. The Halloween Menu is available from 4pm to 11.30pm. Three courses, £14.95. Visit putneypies.co.uk or call 020 8704 1117

3. MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Purveyors of all things esoteric and wonderful, The Last Tuesday Society has a double bill of parties planned for the Halloween weekend. Ranging from theatrical and thoughtful to outlandish and controversial, their decadent balls are currently the hottest tickets on London's style-hungry underground. Saturday night's soiree has already sold out but there are still tickets remaining for the Friday night Danse Macabre, taking place at The Coronet, in Elephant and Castle. A devilish selection of films will be screened by The Light and Shadow Parlour. There'll also be the opportunity to take a hot tub in the disused Victorian railway arches, or watch acrobats leap through vats of claret. 24-28 New Kent Road, Elephant and Castle, SE1. The Danse Macabre takes place on October 28, 10pm to 4am. Tickets: £35. Join Suzette Fielding's Academy of Fiendish Dansing for swing, waltz and pole dancing lessons.
Danse tickets: £5 extra. Visit thelast
tuesdaysociety.org

4. FESTIVAL OF FEAR
Creatures of the night must not miss the inaugural London Horror Festival, a month-long theatrical extravaganza. The award-winning Theatre of the Damned will be performing their Revenge of the Grand Guignol, featuring four short plays adapted from the original early 20th century Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol in Paris. Billed as a complete sensory experience, the show will feature a soundtrack by noise artist Powdered Bone and a rather unusual "smell-track" using an aroma system. Alongside the grisly and ghostly performances, festival highlights include pitch-black comedy Possession is Nine Tenths and a spoof lecture looking at the science of the undead. Courtyard Theatre, Bowling Green Walk, 40 Pitfield Street, N1. Shows from October 25 to November 27. Visit thecourtyard.org.uk or call 0844 477 1000. Shows at 7.30pm. Tickets: £16, £12 concessions. Visit londonhorrorfestival.com

5. THRILLS AND BLOOD SPILLS
Trawl back through London's history and you'll likely uncover a murky past: hangings, false imprisonments and serial killers with a penchant for vital organs. Intrigued? There's no better place to indulge dark thoughts than at the London Dungeon. Evil Stingy Jack will be trawling the tunnels with a turnip-shaped lantern, telling spooky stories and acting in his own scare show. There are also several knuckle-biting rides. New for this year is Vengeance: the UK's first 5D laser ride where visitors are thrust into a high speed ghost hunt. 28-34 Tooley Street, SE1. Halloween events from October 15 to 31. Tickets: £23.52, children £17.52. Open daily, 10am to 5.30pm (extended hours during half term). Visit thedungeons.com

6. STYLE A SQUASH
Over the years, pumpkin carving has spawned a plethora of artistic projects. We've seen bats, banshees and even Barack Obama immortalised in gourd-like glory. If you think you've got what it takes to transform a humble squash into a work of art, it might be worth trying your luck at the annual Fortnum & Mason Pumpkin Carving Competition. There are opportunities for both children and adults to enter, with all winning works to be displayed in the famous shop windows. The Children's Competition (for those under 10) will take place from 3pm to 5pm in the Demonstration Kitchen, with judging at 4pm. Adults (ages 11 upwards) should head to the Ground Floor Gallery Restaurant between 6pm and 8pm, with judging at 7pm. Pumpkins should be prepared in advance, but there will be a decorating table for last-minute alterations. Aside from the obvious kudos of being crowned a "pump-king", there's also a crate of Splendid Sweets on offer for kids and a £1,000 hamper for adults. 181 Piccadilly, W1. Friday October 28. Entrants must register by calling 0845 602 5694. Visit fortnumandmason.com

7. HOLY HORRORS
Watching a horror flick is de rigueur for Halloween, but to really up the ante, try swapping a stuffy cinema for something a little more spine-chilling - like a church. The Rooftop Film Club will be hosting three screenings of classic 70s scary movies as part of their Halloween Scre(am)enings at The Round Chapel in Hackney. First up is The Exorcist (October 28), followed by The Omen (October 30) and Halloween, to be screened on the big day itself. Fancy dress is optional. As a precursor to events, the cinema collective will be showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show in a Big Top circus tent on October 16. Halloween Scre(am)enings will take place at The Round Chapel, Powerscroft Road, E5. The Rocky Horror will be shown at Zippos Circus, Broomfield Park, Palmers Green. Tickets: £12.50. To book, visit experiencecinema.com

8. CREATURES OF THE NIGHT AND DAY
London Zoo may not be the place to spot ghostly creatures, but there are some creatures of the night in residence. On Saturday October 22, the zoo will unveil a new bat cave, home to more than 16 endangered fruit bats. A Halloween Animals in Action show will also feature vultures, skunks and owls. Afterwards, kids can enjoy spooky tales in the terrifying tipi and learn about fishy happenings in the 158-year-old Aquarium. Boo at the Zoo, October 22 to 29. Open daily, 10am to 5.30pm (4pm after Oct 29). Tickets: £19.50, children £15.60, Under-3s free. Visit zsl.org

9. TORTURE CHAMBERS
Where else could you find shrunken heads, dinosaur eggs and the London Bridge constructed from 264,345 matchsticks? Ripley's Believe It Or Not! London wins the award for being one of the weirder museums in our city, with enough grisly exhibits to justify a Halloween visit. Imagine gruesome endings in the Dungeon Zone, filled with torture equipment such as the head crusher, the Mongolian starvation crate and the electric chair. Turn up in fancy dress on October 31 from 6pm to midnight and receive a £5 reduction on Ultimate Explorer tickets purchased on the door. The London Pavilion, 1 Piccadilly Circus, W1. Tickets: £22.95, children £18.95. Visit ripleyslondon.com