Halloween costumes swaps take place across UK

More Halloween costume swaps are taking place this year as people look for ways to save money and reduce waste.

Costume swaps are happening in libraries, schools and in community centres across the UK.

The chance to pick up a costume for free is being welcomed by many parents as pressure to have a new costume each year grows, with some costumes costing as much as £30.

Millions of Halloween costumes are thrown away each year with most of them made of synthetic materials that cannot be recycled.

Libraries Unlimited, the charity that runs libraries in Devon, began a scheme to help families swap, share and reuse Halloween costumes last year.

The programme was so successful that its been expanded to 22 libraries this year from 14.

It's a similar story across the UK with libraries setting up rails with costumes for children to try on and take home right up to Halloween.

In Merseyside, Knowsley Council is running the scheme during half-term.

Grace Barlow, from Knowsley Council's recycling team told the BBC there were two main reasons for the costume swap.

"There's such a huge pressure to be buying costumes each year...and we really wanted to relieve some of that financial pressure but also we wanted to reduce the textile waste across the borough as well," she said.

Clare Taylorson, the council's waste prevention manager, said the council planned to continue the scheme in the future:

"We want to encourage parents to not just put their old costumes in the bin.

And picking up a free costume doesn't mean it is going to be boring.

"One of our staff's children went to a party as a zombie mermaid - so it can be any costume, however whacky," she added.

It's not just libraries, some children have been organising costume swaps at school.

At St Joseph's Primary school in County Antrim, the school's eco council set up a costume swap in the school gym.

While at Lenthall Primary and Nursery school in Derbyshire, the schools eco ambassadors held a costume swap ahead of their Halloween party to make sure everyone could dress up.

When buying or swapping costumes, the advice is to make sure they have a UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) or CE (Conformité Européenne) safety label.

And for anyone who hasn't managed to get a costume, there's always a bit of last-minute creativity.

Check out this Newsround guide for some costume inspiration - there's a famous wizard with glasses who works for both World Book Day and Halloween!

Have you taken part in a Halloween costume swap? Let us know in the comments below.