The special preview on 13th October included The Paradise Foundation, a brand new scare maze for 2016, and the return of The Final Cut, Dead & Breakfast and Festino's Forgotten Funhouse, all substantially updated for this year.

In addition to the main attractions, we were kept entertained throughout the event by characters including Bloody Mary from The Bloody Mirror, Punchinello the King of Halloween, his sinister seneschal Terrorsina, plus Alice and her horrific White Rabbit.

The Paradise Foundation

Featuring a very sinister story, fantastic sets and great actors, The Paradise Foundation is a shocking and twisted tale of a playground for the rich where they can bid on innocent victims to see out their darkest fantasies. 13 scare actors bring The Paradise Foundation to life, as you pass through 17 themed environments, some of which are very bloody and graphic. It was conceived as a mix of science with topical cultural unease, and places you in a pseudo medical / health spa environment.

The Final Cut Presents... They Came From Outer Space

We were very impressed with The Final Cut, as the detail is incredible and there were some really brilliant scares. You first meet Armand the creepy box office attendant of a decaying Hollywood Picture House before passing through the silver screen (literally!) and into an alien adventure. The maze includes 13 scare actors and 17 science fiction themed environments including a corn field, spaceship, test labs and an alien autopsy.

Dead & Breakfast II – Murder Hotel

It's very funny at first, as you enter the Better Days Guest House and meet the sickeningly sarcastic landlady Fag Ash Lil, but then it all gets so scary! This maze features 12 scare actors and 14 themed environments, including some new rooms and passageways for this year. There's also a new character, the murderous Jack Mudgett, who stalks you throughout the attraction. Once again the attention to detail is really very impressive and the elevator and bunker sections were particularly effective.

Festino's Forgotten Funhouse – King of Clowns

Pearlywight, the self-styled King of Clowns, has taken over Festino's Forgotten Funhouse. The cannibal clown and his hoard of carnivorous cohorts are out to get you! We reckon it's the UK's best circus maze since Carnival of Screams at Alton Towers. 13 scare actors feature in this maze across 18 carnival themed environments, with a great combination of sideshows such as the Bearded Lady's Kissing Booth and a Knife Thrower, and there are many disorientating sections with uneven floors, narrowing corridors and other illusions, plus a terrifying chainsaw finale!

All of the attractions at Screamland are incredibly detailed and well scripted, so you really are part of a live performance. There is an excellent use of music, projection, screens, puppets, heat, cold, lighting, smell and touch that brings all of the attractions to life and makes it feel as real as possible. Screamland won 3 awards in it's first year and now the event returns bigger and better, delivering heavily on fun and frights. It continues on 21st, 22nd, 28th and 29th October 2016, so don't miss this brilliant event, buy your tickets here.