20 of our favourite archive photos showing Halloween in Peterborough over the years - see if you can spot a familiar face

For as long as many of us can remember, the end of October has been synonymous with one thing: Halloween.

Halloween as a tradition dates back more than 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, when it was believed that October 31 would blur the gap between our world and the spirit world, making it easier for the spirits of the dead to return.

In the centuries since, Halloween has evolved to become the annual tradition we know and love (in some cases) today.

Want more stories like this? Subscribe to our newsletter here

The notion of trick or treating started hundreds of years ago in medieval England when people would go door to door offering a prayer or a song in exchange for food.

Carving pumpkins, however, is an American tradition that started in the 19th century, though over the past 200 years the practice has been adopted on these shores.

Each year, thousands of children across Peterborough take to the streets in and around the city hoping to fill their buckets to the brim with sugary goodness.

Over the years, the Peterborough Telegraph has accumulated a large bank of photos showing city folk celebrating Halloween.

From an array of incredible Halloween houses to fancy dress fundraisers, the PT has been there to cover it all.

Below we’ve picked out 20 of our favourite archive photos showing Peterborough Halloweens gone-by.

The full gallery can be found below.