Halloween: Pick pumpkins by torchlight at Suffolk’s coolest patch

What beats pumpkin picking in Halloween week? Doing it by torchlight, in fancy dress, at a silent disco. . .

The pumpkin patch at Suffolk’s Rougham Estate, just outside Bury St Edmunds, has long been a family favourite. You can choose from more than 20 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squashes, all picked straight from the ground where they’re grown.

Little ones can play on the pedal tractors, in the sandpits and with themed games and crafts. And the food and drink - all served and supplied by local vendors, including What The Peck fried chicken, sweet treats from GeeGeeBakes and brews from Kiernan’s Coffee - is worth the visit alone.

But the real bar-raiser? Pumpkins by Torchlight: taking place tomorrow evening (Saturday, October 25, 6-9pm), it’s an invitation to go pumpkin picking after dark, torches in hand, while bopping to a silent disco in your fancy dress. What better way to start Halloween week?

The patch is also open 9am-5pm daily for the next week (final day Friday, October 31). Pumpkins and gourds are priced according to size (small gourds from 50p, pumpkins from £1 up to about £10, extra charge for white pumpkins). The pumpkin patch is at Rougham Estate, north of Junction 45 on the A14, approx three miles east of Bury St Edmunds. Postcode for Sat Nav: IP30 9ZD.