Halloween event organisers forced to apologise after offending “woke” locals with their “dead dolls” display

HALLOWEEN event organisers have been forced to apologise after their spooky “dead dolls” window display offended “woke” locals.

Frightmare, which is running its 20th annual Halloween festival in Gloucestershire, received an angry note on the window on Saturday, asking for the removal of a spooky crime scene.

The disgruntled local resident complained due to the display featuring dolls with their limbs in bent positions and appearing “murdered”.

The concerned parent said they did not want their children to see the “unsuitable” scene and urged festival organisers to remove it.

Images show the window display covered with old book cuttings which have been covered in fake blood.

Several baby dolls that are mainly laying face down with their arms and legs bent in different directions are shown with prosthetic blood splatters on their backs.

A couple of the dolls appear to be burnt as they lay amongst a “bloodied” meat cleaver.

Georgia Wilson, who works for Frightmare and created the display, ended up having to remove the dolls from the crime scene and later issued an apology to residents.

The initial complaint note, that was typed up and stuck on the window, read: “MURDERED BABIES? DEAD DOLLS?

“We do not want our children to see this unsuitable window scene. Please remove as it is not appropriate to all passing by to see.

“Thank you. Concerned parents and residents.”

The organisers later attached their apology above the notice, writing: “Dear concerned locals and residents,

“We would like to clarify that no babies (or dolls) were harmed in the making of this window display.

“However, we apologise for any distress caused and have removed the doll parts as requested.

“Happy Halloween.”

Frightmare posted a video on TikTok showing off the notices, whilst writing: “Public apology.

“Georgia is no longer allowed to do window displays.

“We’ve sent her to the mirror room, so she can take a long, hard look at herself.”

The video has gained over 38,000 views and comments from viewers who were shocked by the complaint.

One person said: “I honestly would have made the display even more horrifying!”

Another wrote: “Ridiculous! We live there and we love Frightmare!”

A third added: “People are just too woke now.”

While another person commented: “Someone always has to ruin it!”

Speaking today, Georgia, 27, said: “Frightmare is a Halloween event with scare mazes, stage shows and characters within the rows – it’s like a celebrity of Halloween and is different to what you normally come by.

“It’s something that’s been going on in Gloucester for years on a farm. But we’ve recently moved to a city centre and had a lot of battles.

“So, now we are trying something new and something accessible. I’m quite new to the team, so this was my first time doing the window display.

“I had found some cool books in a charity shop and thought it would make a really cool window display. The book had biology, tool books and babies in it, like a murder mystery.

“After I did it, I stood back and thought it looked Halloween-y and so did the team. We all felt that the dolls were just props and were a bit surprised when we read the note.

“It was never my intention to offend anyone. I never thought of the props as dead little people. But the way the note was worded gave us a giggle.

“I wrote the [social media] post because it made me laugh as I thought my coffin window display would be more offensive, but I think I’ll be a little more cautious in the future.”

Several other window displays at the event include a hell throne made from plastic skulls, a coffin with nails hammered into a crucifix and overflowing biohazard waste containers.