In pictures: Spooky Scotland is ready for Halloween

Image source, Jeff J Mitchell

Image caption, Rufio the red panda has a sniff of a pumpkin at Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder

Fright night is almost upon us as Halloween 2023 gets under way.

Many celebrations have already taken place, but there is still some guising to be done when the sun sets.

You have been sending us your pictures of spooky goings-on in the lead-up to the 31st.

Here is a selection of our favourites.

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Image source, Irene Hartshorn

Image caption, Irene Hartshorn from Ayr captured this scene in the lane near her home after she took her dog for an evening walk and realised she was being watched.

Image source, Elaine Malone

Image caption, The owner of this house in Edinburgh got the Halloween memo. Elaine Malone was so impressed she took a photo.

Image source, Andrew Henderson

Image caption, Andrew Henderson, from Glasgow, took this photo of the Paisley Halloween Festival.

Image source, Andrew Macdonald

Image caption, Andrew Macdonald was also there and sent us this picture of drummers at the festival.

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Image source, David Lonsdale

Image caption, David Lonsdale spotted this knitted Halloween decoration in Dunblane.

Image source, Peter Wilkinson

Image caption, "It looks nothing like me" says the squirrel on Kinnoull hill looking at the carved pumpkin, wrote Peter Wilkinson.

Image source, Dena MacKintosh

Image caption, More pumpkins as Dena Mackintosh got ready for Halloween in Morar.

Image source, Sharon Smith

Image caption, Paisley Town Hall seemed to be taken over by something creepy last weekend, witnessed by Sharon Smith from East Kilbride.

Image source, Colin Gillespie

Image caption, Inflatable ghouls entertained in Paisley's town centre.

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Image source, Colin Gillespie

Image caption, Another from Paisley, where this monster did a great job of frightening Colin Gillespie from East Kilbride.

Image source, Sharon Smith

Image caption, The walls may have ears but the trees have eyes in Paisley during the Halloween festival.

Image source, James McBryde

Image caption, James McBryde's picture of a pumpkin display by local primary schools in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens.

Image source, Weather Watchers/Derek B

Image caption, This grumpy black cat warns those entering Kirkcowan in Dumfries and Galloway that spooky things lie ahead.

Image source, Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Image caption, And the Meerkats at Blair Drummond Safari Park enjoyed their photoshoot with some carved pumpkins and celebrated by eating the props.

All images are copyrighted.