VIDEO: Zombies entertain shoppers in Hastings with Thriller dance

Tomboogie do the 'Thriller' dance in Queens Square, Priory Meadow Shopping Centre. Photo by Tony Coombes

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Hundreds of people gathered for a reenactment of Michael Jackson's Thriller dance routine in a spooktacular climax to Hastings' Halloween celebrations on Saturday (October 29).

Led by former West End dancers and pupils, the mass dance spectacle took place in Queens Square outside Priory Meadow Shopping Centre at the finale of the annual 1066 Walk of the Dead.

The spooky scene, which saw more than 20 talented and heavily made-up dancers strut their ghoulish moves, was organised as part of the mall’s Halloween extravaganza which featured a host of free activities.

Among those taking part in the fun was keen dancer Elham Shafiquallah, 11, who travelled from Ealing in London with his dad Lal to take part in the event.

“When we heard about it we came to Hastings especially,” Lal said.

“Elham belongs to a dance club in London and loves dancing. I’m a big Michael Jackson fan myself and a few years ago I took part in a similar event in Poole in Dorset.

“It was absolutely brilliant today and we had a really good time.”

Families were also able to take part in a free ghostbuster hunt, Thriller dance workshops, apple bobbing, spooky storytelling in a specially created graveyard scene, and undergo a ghostly transformation courtesy of a special effects artist in the Halloween makeup workshop.

Elham Shafiquallah with 'Igor'. Photo by Tony Coombes SUS-161031-123258001

Natalie Lyons, from the old town, brought her five-year-old daughter Brooke along to the activities.

“The dancing was amazing, I posted it on Facebook straight away,” she said.

“Brooke wanted to join in and I had to stop her from running up and dancing with them as she’s a dancer herself.