PROMOTION
EARLY evening mist and a persistent drizzle combined to create an atmosphere that was both suitably spooky and unmisktakeably Manchester (or should that be Weatherfield) when I trod Coronation Street's famous cobbles for my Halloween tour.
Take the ultimate Halloween selfie with the prolific murderer himself, wearing those sinister black leather gloves
There have been plenty of twists and turns in Corrie's plotlines over the years – many of them violent, grisly and downright murderous – and it is these macabre moments the Halloween tour focuses on.
We started off with a trip to the site of Coronation Street's most recent murder – the builder's yard where Rob Donovan pushed Tina over the balcony. There was even a chance to wield the actual weapon used. Or prop. Sorry, I keep getting confused. With all this verisimilitude, it was no wonder a small voice piped up asking, 'Did she really get killed here?' I was beginning to wonder myself.
What followed was a tour of the scary side of the street, visiting the different murder scenes which have accumulated over the years and finding out more about the brutal events which took place there. From the exploits of John Stape to patricide at Webster's Autos, it's all there in glorious, gory detail.
Murders in Corrie seem to share a common theme; there's a great deal of being bludgeoned around the head with a blunt instrument. If you dare to take on this tour, perhaps you should think about wearing a safety helmet.
The Halloween tour is exceptional value as it it is free to anyone with a ticket for the full Coronation Street tour (Adults £16.50, children £15) and it's on until Friday 31 October when Brian Capron, who played the villainous Richard Hillman, will be back in the evening wielding his crowbar to add more mayhem to the mix.
Listen to his tales of death and destruction. After all, he's got plenty to say on the subject. From leaving Duggie for dead to killing Patricia with a shovel.
There is a lighter side to the Halloween entertainment with face painting at Audrey's and the chance to go trick or treating on the street. But let's face it – we're all here for the gore.
Tickets for the Coronation Street tour are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk/coronationstreet.
