SCARY zombies will shuffle down Southend High Street and seafront before joining the Halloween Parade as a "spooktacular" event is set to return after seven years.

Last officially held in 2017, the annual zombie walk and ghost train is back with organisers excited to breathe "new afterlife" into the once popular event.

Organised by Southend photographer Gaz de Vere in conjunction with the city's Business Improvement District, the walk will kick off outside the Odeon at noon on Saturday, October 26, with ghoulish characters shuffling down the High Street to Pier Hill.

There zombies will board the pier "nightmare train", which will be free for those in costume, before trudging from the end of the pier back to shore.

Monsters of all ages are encouraged to take part and bring lights and LEDs as the walk will later join the Halloween Parade, ending at 7.30pm in time for the seafront fireworks.

For those less creative folk, there will be free face painting at starting point from 11am, so walkers can come as they like as long as they are dressed up.