IT was fright-night in Swansea's Mansion House — and here's a leading politician as you've never seen him before.

The Lord Mayor of Swansea, Richard Lewis, swapped the council chamber for the crypt to host a spooky Hallowe'en fund raiser, with the cellar of his official residence being transformed into a ghoulish dungeon for the occasion.

"We had about 70 or 80 people there, some of them a bit terrified," said the mayor-turned-vampire.

"It was a very successful night.

"The Grand Theatre did the lighting for us — it was absolutely stunning.

"St James's Funeral Home lent me the coffin."

Mr Lewis said the inspiration for the event came after his wife Angela told him of a Hallowe'en evening featuring a chainsaw wielding maniac.

He said: "I had seen the cellar in the Mansion House and thought this is an ideal crypt. Everyone came in fancy dress as well which was fantastic."

Money raised by the event will go to the Lord Mayor's charities — the Air Training Corps and Splash, a project to build a swimming pool for children with special needs.

Fellow councillors have been assured by the mayor that normal service will be resumed this week but there may be the odd trace of Dracula left. He said: "I had a good soak, but did have some patches of blood left in my hair."