Watch as Dino the Dinosaur steals the show at annual South Shields Halloween spectacular

For ten years, pals Richie Ames and Stan Yanetta have been staging a show outside Stan’s home in Heaton Gardens, off Benton Road in Whiteleas – and each year it has got bigger and better.

This year the show has expanded to a patch of grass opposite the house, courtesy of South Tyneside Borough Council: “We started off in the front garden, which was eight by ten,” said Richie, 54.

“It is 70ft plus now.”

As well as a Ferris wheel outside the house, a length of Benton Road is given over to animatronic ghosts and ghoulies of all shapes and sizes.

Garage owner Stan, 60, also has several special cars, including Fred Flintstone’s pedestrian-powered vehicle, the Ghostbusters hearse and a specially decorated Halloween car.

There is even a Jurassic Park jeep – which this year got a very special accompaniment in the shape of Dino, a custom-built T-Rex costume so tall that Stan has to use a CCTV camera to navigate when he wears it.

"It takes two guys to lift it and get him into it and then there is a little screen inside and that’s how it works,” said Richie.

The pair have been delighted with the reaction to the latest addition, especially from young fans: “It is great to see their faces,”said Stan.

"They get so excited every time they see it.”

Richie added: “When Dino comes out of the van, everybody wants to see him. That was definitely THE moment this year.”

The pair also leave charity collection buckets out for donations, which this year will be going to domestic abuse charity SURT (Stopping Unsafe Relationships Together) and the Willow cat shelter.

"We try to support different charities throughout the year, so everybody gets a bit of the pot,” said Richie.

"At the moment, it means so much to us when somebody puts their hand in their pocket, whether it is 10p or a fiver – everything helps.”

Richie and Stan are already looking forward to Halloween 2023: “Next year is going to be different,” promised Richie.

"We have got a full year to plan it.”