22% support trick or treating ban

31/10/11

By Shaun Teale

More than a fifth of people questioned back the idea of a ban on trick or treating this Halloween in the wake of the riots, which tore across cities in England in August, a new survey reveals.

Of the 2,005 adults polled, 22 per cent said the annual tradition should not go ahead this year and 50 per cent said it should be made compulsory for children who do go trick or treating to be accompanied by an adult.

Around a quarter of adults have seen their homes damaged at Halloween, according to the survey commissioned by Santander Insurance, which found that the average repair bill cost residents £232, or £2.65 billion in total.

Just under a million people (941,000) - 2 per cent of those surveyed - have had graffiti daubed on their home at Halloween, 460,000 have been attacked by people using fireworks as weapons and more than 380,000 have been the victim of an arson attack on their home.

Andy Smith, head of media relations at Santander, said: "We would advise all homeowners to make sure that the main entrances to their homes are secure, and to make the property look occupied, even if it isn't. For peace of mind in case any damage is caused, we would also urge people to keep their property and possessions protected with comprehensive home insurance.