Last updated at 11:31, Monday, 16 July 2012

With bits of flesh hanging off and children crying in their wake, a gaggle of zombies stumbled through the city centre at the weekend.

Zombies in Caarlisle city centre

Startled shoppers stopped and stared as the undead walked through Debenhams on a tour of the city.

Around 40 zombie fanatics took part in the event, which is hoped will morph into an annual charity fundraiser.

They got together after University of Cumbria IT assistant Johnny McGann launched a Facebook page appealing for people to put on their goriest outfits in tribute to zombie films and computer games.

Dressed as a Resident Evil cop, he said: “It started as a joke and I created a page on Facebook not thinking anything would happen.

“We terrorised the castle then headed for the town centre.

The youngest zombie was one-year-old Holly Dudley, who scared people from her pushchair, while sister Mary Jane, five, walked alongside.

Mary Jane wore her Newlaithes Infant School uniform spattered with fake blood. Mum Stacey from Raffles said: “We love zombie films and Mary Jane loves to play zombie computer games. I was coming along and they didn’t want to be left out.”

Roman re-enactment specialist Matt Collin, from Upperby, used his day off from being a security guard at Tesco to dress up as a zombie. He removed links from a chainmail vest to spear himself with arrows and become a Roman zombie, winning the prize for the day’s best outfit.

Subway worker Annese Aldred, 22, from Penrith won a prize for the most gore.

The zombies gave a birthday boy having a party at the Games Workshop in Earls Lane, a special surprise. Manager Louis Liddle said: “It was a great moment when they were all clawing at the window, the shop was besieged by zombies. I hid behind the counter!”

First published at 11:24, Monday, 16 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk