AN IMMERSIVE Halloween experience is returning to Gwrych Castle in Abergele this year.

After a hugely successful debut last year, Escape Alive will return to the castle in October, and promises to be “bigger, better, and scarier than ever before, offering a truly terrifying experience packed with heart-pounding scares and unforgettable thrills”.

The event last year attracted more than 12,000 visitors, and is set to return from October 18 to November 3.

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It will involve a new maze route, characters and storyline, to ensure those new and returning will have a unique experience.

Escape Alive is an immersive scare maze that takes participants on a terrifying journey through the chilling depths of Gwrych Castle.

Live actors and special effects will bring the castle's dark history to life, ensuring every shadowy corner holds a potential fright.

Built between 1810 and 1825 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh, in memory of his mother Frances Lloyd and her ancestors, it incorporated an earlier house that had been in the ownership of the Lloyds since the late-medieval period.

For those who manage to escape the horrors within, the Gory Grounds will offer a welcome respite.

This after-party area will feature a carnival with games and stalls, food and treats, a bar and entertainment area, marshmallow toasting, an outdoor cinema showing classic horror films, and live performances by extreme entertainers and pop-up shows.

Tarot readers will also be on hand to provide spooky insights into the future.

Escape Live will cater to all ages, with earlier time slots designed to be family-friendly, and later slots to be significantly scarier and recommended for more mature audiences.

Laura Myatt, from the Escape Records team, said: “After such a successful first event last year, we are so happy to be expanding Escape Alive and bringing it to both North and South Wales.

“We have such exciting plans to scale the event and make it bigger and better each year.”

You can register your interest for this year’s event on Escape Alive’s website.