Pumpkin carvings for Halloween - in pictures

Although it wouldn't be Halloween without a picture of an animal playing with a pumpkin, the traditional jack-o'-lantern is being replaced by something much more ambitious Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

A creation from pumpkin carving specialists Villafane Studios Photograph: Caters News Agency

Another unsettling Villafane product Photograph: Villafane Studios/Caters News Agency

Careful where you put that knife Photograph: Villafane Studios/Caters News Agency

Pumpkin abuse Photograph: Villafane Studios/Caters News Agency

A more aesthetically soothing effort is the Maniac Pumpkin Carvers' interpretation of The Starry Night, by Vincent van Gogh, which was gifted to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City last Halloween Photograph: Marc Evan/AP

Jodie Marsh, Simon Cowell, Gordon Ramsay, Alan Sugar and Rylan Clark are immortalised as spooky pumpkin carvings at Chessington World of Adventures, after topping a poll of "scary celebrities" Photograph: PR

And, if you prefer to slum it, the Fortnum & Mason version Photograph: Jonathan Hordle/Rex Features

A scene from the film Halloween at the Roger Williams park zoo in Providence, Rhode Island Photograph: Charles Krupa/AP

Another chez Roger Williams, showing a scene from Titanic Photograph: Charles Krupa/AP

Watch out, Villafane Studios, it's payback time! Photograph: Villafane Studios/Caters News Agency

Zombie pumpkins? The New York Botanical Garden's gourdfellas might have seen better days Photograph: Seth Wenig/AP

Maniac Pumpkin Carvers attempt to scare inhabitants of Brooklyn. Or at least those inhabitants of Brooklyn with a tenuous conception of what alligators look like Photograph: Maniac Pumpkin Carvers/AP

'We should get together more often.' 40,000 carved pumpkins gathered in Chicago expecting to clinch a Guinness world record for their numerous creators Photograph: Jiang Xintong/Xinhua Press/Corbis