COSTUMES are flying off the shelves at Carlisle's much-loved and independent fancy dress retailer on the run-up to Halloween. 

Struts, which has been on the go for well over four decades, has announced they are open every day on the run-up to October 31st. 

Owners Jayne and Anthony Ivinson are fully engaged in their busiest season of the year, with 700 online orders going out a day across the UK from their unit on Chapel Street.  

“We are up 11 per cent on last year overall, that’s the shop and the internet so that’s really good," said Anthony. 

“We spend all summer getting ready for these next 10 days. Our Halloween starts in May/ June with planning and stocking. You try to get ahead of the game but we still always seem to run out.

"And then we come out Halloween and go straight into the fireworks sales," he said. 

Jayne and Anthony take great pride in being one of the last remaining independent fancy dress retailers in the country.

This year, as in years past, the former chapel that houses their business has been transformed into a showcase of all things spooky and fun.

The shop looks to create a fun family day out from the moment you walk in the door, complete with six-foot-tall animatronics and staff adorned in fancy dress on weekends.

"The shop's there to be visited!" Anthony said. 

While last year it was Barbie reigning supreme as the top costume choice, this year, the classic horror character Ghostface from the iconic Scream films has been flying off the shelves, alongside Beetlejuice, thanks to the release of the sequel.

The shop is open from 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Saturday, and from 12 pm to 4 pm on Sundays until Halloween, after which it returns to a six-day schedule with plenty of fireworks available ahead of Bonfire night.