The Great Plague returns to Ipswich this Halloween - but are you brave enough to find out more?

Isaacs, on Ipswich Waterfront venue, is being transformed into a house of horrors from Friday, October 26 to Sunday, October 28,

Donning his beaked mask, the Plague Doctor will be taking groups of eight visitors through the plague-ridden rooms of the historic buildings which make up Isaacs on the Quay.

The Isaacs Plague is a special fundraiser for St Elizabeth Hospice and Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk.

Isaacs manager Lewis Belsey said: “The very last outbreak of the plague in England is thought to have occurred in Suffolk between 1906 and 1918. Now the Plague Doctor has been called back into action to manage a new epidemic here at Isaacs.

“There are dark and scary times ahead in the Isaacs complex, but we know with the Plague Doctor’s help, we’ll be able to guide our customers through unscathed, raising much needed money for St Elizabeth Hospice as we go.”

Norman Lloyd, campaign manager for St Elizabeth Hospice, added; “This event sounds very spooky. It is great to see all the imaginative ideas Isaacs on the Quay are coming up with to reach their Early Bird target. We hope it will be a great success and lots of people will join for a night of fright.”

The historic complex of waterfront buildings, dating back to the 15th Century through to the 18th Century have been at the heart of the port trade for hundreds of years. Since 2014 owner Aidan Coughlan has transformed them, creating contemporary bar areas, a restaurant and wedding venue.

Freston, on the shores of the River Orwell, saw outbreaks of plague between the years of 1906 and 1918, with several lives claimed.

Contemporary accounts blame rats coming ashore from grain ships that anchored on the river for bringing the disease from overseas.