Youngsters from the King's School were in for a spooky night when they spent Halloween in the ghostly cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral.

The cloisters, famous for their part in the Harry Potter films, played host to 19 choristers aged between seven and 13 from the choir school on Friday night.

The boys usually have a hectic schedule singing evensong in the Cathedral six evenings a week as well as daily rehearsals.

But to give them some fun time during the half-term break, chorister tutor William Armiger organised the All Saints Vigil.

Mr Armiger, who also spent the night in the freezing stone corridors said the event had been a success.

"It was so cold we had to take some of the youngsters into the Chapter House," he said.

"We did lots of games and quizzes with them. We had information on the tombstones and one of the parents, who is a doctor came along to do a lecture and demonstration about the skeleton.

"We also had a game in which the kids had to put their hands into bags and identify what part of the body was inside, and what animal it came from.

"By about 1am most of them were falling asleep, but some of them stayed awake until 4am."

Mr Armiger also ran a ghost story competition in the run-up to the sleepover, with the boys required to finish a ghost story started by him, and submit their versions by e-mail.

There were ghost stories on the night as well, provided by headmaster Alistair Macnaughton and Cathedral Director of Music Adrian Partington.

When the boys woke up, a full English breakfast was served by parents and friends of the choir.

Jonathan Binns, 13, a senior chorister said it was a night to remember. "It was really good fun but it was freezing. We had to wear hats, extra pairs of socks and hoodies to keep warm."

"We got about six hours sleep I think. It was a bit scary at times having to find people in the dark, but none of the younger ones were even that scared. The seniors did try to scare them more, but that didn't work. It was good fun."