'Spooky' the asteroid due to give Earth a Halloween fright

Although its sudden discovery has spooked scientists, astronomers confirm that the 1,300ft-wide space rock will remain further away than the moon

A Halloween asteroid is due to scream past the Earth on the last day of the month, missing the planet by just 300,000 miles - frighteningly close by astronomical standards.

But scientists say there is no need to be scared, even on Halloween. The space rock, travelling at around 22 miles per second, will remain further away than the moon.