Stan Yannetta has been putting on the attraction outside his home in South Shields for the last 19 years, but was left in tears after it was torched by yobs
12:34, 31 Oct 2025
The devastating aftermath of a fire at Stan’s famous Halloween display in South Shields(Image: ChronicleLive)
A man renowned for his annual Halloween display, which he sets up for charity, has been left heartbroken after it was set ablaze. Stan Yannetta, a 64 year old from South Shields, has been delighting locals with his festive attraction outside his home for nearly two decades.
However, on Thursday night, he was shocked to find the entire display engulfed in flames. Firefighters were summoned to extinguish the fire, and police are treating the incident as a deliberate act of arson.
Stan, who operates Stan’s Auto Services in the town, was alerted to the disaster by his brother around 11pm. He recalled: “I knew there was something wrong.
Stan’s famous Halloween display in South Shields has been torched(Image: ChronicleLive)
“I popped my head around the corner and the whole street was ablaze. It was horrendous. The display, from one end to another, was totally gone.”
Overwhelmed by the loss, Stan admitted: “I’m gutted, I’ve cried all night. Gutted isn’t the word – I’m devastated!” He questioned the motive behind the attack, saying: “I thought why me? Why have they done what they’ve done? Everybody is saying ‘Why are they bothering Stan?’. Everybody knows what I do.”, reports Chronicle Live.
While the fire service managed to control the blaze swiftly, it caused damage to the roof of his garage, the back windows of his flat, and the front porch of his neighbour’s property.
Stan expressed his concern over the potential danger posed by the arsonists, stating: “What they’ve done is endangered life. My phone has never stopped. People have been messaging saying ‘Stan I can’t believe this has happened to you’.”
Stan, with the assistance of his mate Richy Ames, 57, who lives nearby, started crafting a Halloween display in his front garden annually. Over time, the spectacle expanded until it reached an impressive 70ft.
Stan Yannetta and Richy Ames at the scene of a devastating Halloween display fire(Image: ChronicleLive)
The duo placed buckets next to their creation to gather charitable donations. They would then give the display on Heaton Gardens a festive makeover for Christmas, continuing their fundraising efforts. Once the holiday season concluded, the funds were divided among three local charities – Tiny Lives, Stopping Unsafe Relationships Together (SURT), and Pawz for Thought.
However, a fire has now dashed Stan and Richy’s plans for their annual Christmas display. A disheartened Stan shared: “It’s all for the kids. I can’t do anything at Christmas now – I haven’t got anything. This has finished it off.”
He continued: “I had a fireman last night, who I didn’t know, saying ‘I’m really gutted for you. We were coming over with the kids tomorrow.’ So many people come along to see it on Halloween. It’s a massive attraction because it’s free. I was all geared up for it last night and I was making sure everything was working fine. I had got a load of raffle tickets to sell for prizes. Now it’s all gone.”
A representative for Northumbria Police stated: “Shortly before 11.20pm on Thursday (October 30), we received a report from the fire service of a fire outside a property on Heaton Gardens in South Shields.
“Emergency services attended where damage had been caused to a Halloween display in the front yard, and the fire was extinguished. Enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing, which we are currently treating as suspected arson.
“Anyone with information – as well as CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage – is encouraged to send us a direct message on social media or use live chat and report forms on our website. Those unable to make contact in these ways can call 101. Please quote reference: NP-20251030-1106.”
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) dispatched two fire engines to the scene on Thursday night.
A representative for the fire service stated: “The emergency call was received by our Control Room team at 23:01 and crews from South Shields Community Fire Station and Hebburn Tri Station were dispatched, with the first appliance arriving by 23:05. The fire involved a charity Halloween display in a shed, and spread to the external properties of other addresses. Firefighters safely extinguished the fire by 23:37, with the last crew leaving the scene shortly after 01:00.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
