Guide dog puppies visited Wookey Hole to learn about the spooky sights, sounds and smells associated with Halloween.

The eight puppies aged around a year old, along with their volunteer puppy raisers, explored the first section of the famous caves, even getting to meet the legendary Witch of Wookey Hole. They then toured the Dinosaur Valley, Victorian paper mill and Mirror Maze.

Trips such as this are an important part of early training for guide dog puppies, helping to get them used to different environments so they feel calm and confident when they go to places with their future guide dog owners.

All the puppies are currently living with their puppy raisers who look after them for around 12-17 months. They'll then start their formal training, before hopefully qualifying as working guide dogs at around two years of age.

Lucy Avery, a Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs in Somerset, who led the training session, said: "A big part of early training is exposing puppies to new environments and experiences, so visiting Wookey Hole was not only fun, but a great way to learn about things they may encounter around Halloween time.

"The puppies also got to socialise with each other and practise skills including walking up and down steps, food manners, and moving from outside to enclosed, darkly-lit spaces.

"Thank you so much to everyone at Wookey Hole for hosting us and being so helpful and welcoming."

Wookey Hole is running Halloween activities, including a pumpkin trail, throughout the school holidays from 24 October to 1 November. Dogs are not allowed on site, unless they are guide dogs

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Guide Dogs is looking for more puppy raisers across Somerset and the South West region. For more information, please visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraising.