Zombies, vampires and flesh-eating children are returning to the Hop Farm after being in exile for a year.

Freak Week, which lasts for 10 days, is back under new management.

The attraction was declared best Halloween event at a small venue in 2011 but financial problems meant it did not take place last year.

Now a trio of dedicated horror fans have taken control of the attraction. Two thirds of that team are Nick Robertson, 42, and his son Karl. Together they run Hawkforce, a pest control business that supplies falcons.

The final member is Simon Taylor – a 39-year-old director of Hoppers Entertainment, which provides several attractions at the Paddock Wood venue, including a bird of prey centre.

The team got together last year after the Robertsons moved their Hawkforce business into an office there.

They’ve been working on the project since September and Karl is hoping it will be the better than before.

The 25-year-old said: “It’s a really good attraction. We’re all fans of horror films and wanted to do something. I know a lot about the previous event and we have some of the old team helping us out.

“A lot of work has gone into the planning and we’re really excited about it.”

Freak Week will consist of five major attractions, including Mississippi Madness – a house with an underground maze of tunnels that eight deformed children use to reach a local town and eat infants.

Another is a 19th century mental hospital which would house murderers who pleaded insanity to escape the death penalty.

It runs from Wednesday, October 22 to Friday, October 31 and will be open from 6.30pm until 11pm daily, apart from on Halloween when it will be open from 7pm to midnight.

Tickets on the door are £25, or £30 for Halloween.

Booking online in advance will save £2.25.

Visit www.hopfarmfreakweek.co.uk.