FORGET making a witches cape from a bin bag and layering on the eyeliner...Halloween fancy dress fans have been reaching whole new spooky levels in recent years.

So much so that some make up artists in the area are now booked up two years in advance.

It's thought the trend for a more extravagant look for parties around October 31 started with the James Bond film Spectre.

Mexican tourism officials were inspired by parts of the 2015 film, which were filmed in Mexico City and featured 007 chasing a villain through a Day of the Dead celebration in the historical centre, and as a result Mexico City held its first Day of the Dead parade, complete with floats, giant skeleton marionettes and more than 1,000 actors, dancers and acrobats in costumes last year.

And this year with Festival of the Dead shows in Liverpool and Manchester there's no sign of the sugar skull craze slowing anytime soon.

We took a look at some of the frightful creations on offer in Runcorn and Widnes this Halloween.

Click the gallery above to see their work and read more below:

Picture one and two:

Name Rebecca Gregory

Age 33

Live Widnes

Name of Business - Makeupbyrebeccag

Facebook & Instagram - Makeupbyrebeccag

Doing makeup for 2 & half years, currently studying teaching makeup.

Favourite look for Halloween = Cheshire Cat makeup (see first picture)

Popular looks this Halloween will be skulls

Picture three and four:

Your name: Niamh Swindells

Your age: 18

Area you live: Runcorn 

Name of your business: Glam By Niamh

Instagram:  @GlamByNiamh

https://www.instagram.com/glambyniamh/

Facebook: Glam By Niamh

How long you've been doing make up for: 1 year, finished my level 2 in media makeup and now studying my level 3

Your favourite look for Halloween: skulls as they’re quite popular and fun to get creative with with bright colours, glitters and gems. 

What you think the most popular look will be this Halloween: SFX makeup like cuts, bruises and scars. 

Picture five and six:

Name: Chloe Newton-Edge 

Age: 25

Lives: Runcorn 

Business: Shine Bright Like a Diamond 

@shinebrightwidnes

Www.facebook.com/diamondscn 

Favourite look for Halloween - Skull 

Most popular for this Halloween - Halloween glamour looks with gems and glitter