Cardiff zombies

But for once the rising of the undead at a city nightclub to the sound of Michael Jackson's Thriller was not entirely alcohol-induced.

Blood-dripping zombies gathered at the nightclub to try to break the world record for the largest "zombie walk".

Although they failed, organisers say the 282 zombies who turned up could have set a Welsh record.

The current "zombie walk" world record was set last year when 894 ghouls rose from their graves at the Monroeville shopping mall near Pittsburgh, USA.

Zombie Gatherings have become an institution in the States as a way of raising money and awareness Antony Lane, organiser

Last month an estimated 1,100 people gathered at the same mall - which was the setting for the zombie film Dawn of the Dead.

But 29-year-old Antony Lane, one of the Newport film graduates behind the Welsh zombie-fest, said that gathering had yet to be verified by the Guinness Book of Records.

He said they had been hoping over a thousand people would take part in the Cardiff event on Wednesday night and had set up a Facebook and a MySpace page to publicise it.

Organisers hoped to beat the American record of 894

Despite not reaching the world record, Mr Lane said he thought the event may have set a Welsh record and hoped the evening had made plenty of money for charity.

He added as well as fundraising, the event in Cardiff was an opportunity to scout for extras for a film his company, Indywood, plan to shoot next year.

"Zombie Gatherings have become an institution in the States as a way of raising money and awareness, so I figured why not give Wales a chance to beat the record," he said.