The Maltings Shopping Centre has announced the winner of this year’s Halloween half term extravaganza.

Four-year-old Freddie Swanne from St Albans was crowned the winner of the Halloween scavenger hunt competition alongside his mum, Caroline, on Wednesday (November 4).

Taking home a coveted Hotel Chocolat hamper, Freddie was congratulated by Maltings centre manager Phil Corrigan and Hotel Chocolat manager Lou Challenor.

Lou said: “For the last few years we have been involved with the ‘safe trick or treat’ that the shopping centre organise. It has been wonderful this year for the centre to come up with a slightly different way around it, to make it a safe and fun experience for all.

“We definitely had a very happy Freddie in store collecting his prize.”

Looking very pleased with himself, Freddie beamed after winning the popular annual event, which was updated to stay compliant with social distancing rules.

Caroline Swanne said: “We found out about the scavenger hunt when off on our weekly trip to the St Albans library in the Maltings.

“We spent two days looking - on the first day Freddie managed to spot nine images but the 10th proved very elusive! We came back the following day to track it down, finally finding it nestled in the window of Fat Face!

“Freddie was over the moon to win the competition and shouted it about town as we went to collect the winnings! He’s eaten his way through the pumpkin milk chocolate and two lollipops and thankfully he is less keen on dark chocolate which means there’s some left for his parents! He loves Halloween and now he’s a big Hotel Chocolat fan too.”

Phil Corrigan added: “Our Trick or Treat event has been incredibly popular over the years and has seen many children taking part, so much so that although we couldn’t run the same event we wanted to offer some kind of Halloween activity.

“The Scavenger Hunt was both fun and safe and it was wonderful to see so many of our local families joining in and enjoying the event just as much as trick or treat. Although we couldn’t hand out treats this year, Freddie was over the moon with his Halloween Hamper which was kindly donated as a prize by Hotel Chocolat!”

The Maltings shopping centre team thank everyone for taking part in this years event, and look forward welcoming people to their next family competition.