A Bulford sergeant major in the Army and dad-of-five has set up a Halloween maze in his garden and is welcoming guests this weekend. 

Wayne Moss, 44, has created an impressive ‘Scare Maze’ for Halloween with his partner Sonia Markham and their five kids. 

It is to be held at his garden in Ypres Close, Bulford on Friday and Saturday this week between 6.30pm and 10pm, and it looks to be an impressive event with an incredible display and live actors.  

Wayne said: “I’ve always done it for the kids, but then last year we made a huge display, and we used the neighbour’s house as well, the front. 

“And then I just got carried away and next thing you know I made it into a maze as well.”

After an overwhelming success last year with 300 attendees, where it was “free to cheer people up” after a year of Covid, the couple decided to donate any proceeds to Julia’s House Children’s Hospice charity this year.

Wayne said: “We were struggling for ages to decide which one, but then the work they do for children with the life-shortening illnesses... that was it straight away. 

“We’ve got the kids, and we just thought that’s the one.”

Wayne met his partner Sonia six years ago. He’s got three kids whilst she’s got two, and they have enjoyed creating the maze as a family.

Some of the characters have taken them weeks to make, with Wayne using YouTube tutorials, and he has run workshops with local families where they “made some body parts for the butchers”.

Wayne, who will be dressed as the ‘Scare announcer’, is hoping that the maze will be longer this year and guests will be “running out or screaming”.

For families with young children, there is also the option to get rid of the live actors. 

He said there will also be devilishly delicious refreshments with his colleagues running a business, Woody’s coffee shop, who will be serving hot drinks and ‘the most amazing cakes’. 

Wayne’s hope is to one day be able to hold the event on a ‘big scale’ if he gets hold of his own land, as he will soon be retiring from the Army after 23 years of service. 

In terms of what drives him to run this event for charity, Wayne who grew up in Stoke on Trent said: “I love it, especially when you see their faces its worth every bit of effort.”

“Where I grew up wasn’t that good, and growing up with not a lot of money, but luckily I’ve done well for myself through the Army and my kids have never gone without.

“So, I try and teach them there’s people not as fortunate.”

He added that the community support in Bulford for the maze has been great: “We’re quite lucky really, the estate puts up with it and everyone in our close is mega, everyone is dead friendly. 

“They get the VIP tour before everyone else comes in.”

To find out more details, you can check out the Scare Maze event’s Facebook group where there are already over 300 members. 

They have also set up a Just Giving page for the Scare Maze to raise money for Julia’s Hospice. 

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