LOCKED in a mysterious room with only 60 minutes to get free, an escape room is guaranteed to be a fun and engaging activity.

Escape Colchester has a great repertoire of seven rooms, each with a fun variety of themes and filled with many puzzles and brain teasers.

Players can don their detective hats in Sherlock Holmes’ apartment in 221B Baker Street, search for the Ancient Roman Eagle Standard in Boudica’s Uprising, or escape the brig on a pirate ship and steal the captain’s treasure in Escape the Seven Seas, to name a few.

Theme- Each escape room has a different theme, two of them being Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. Theme- Each escape room has a different theme, two of them being Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

My friends and I booked our spots in the Witchcraft and Wizardry room and arrived 15 minutes before our game for the informative briefing, where we also learned that the average time of escape was 50 minutes and that the record was an impressive 27 minutes.

The employee briefed us on the different types of padlocks and shared that each new clue led directly to the next before she pointed to the screen on the wall, which would display both the countdown and some helpful hints if needed.

Doors- All the clues lead the way to escaping the room, with an employee on hand to offer hints through the screen. Doors- All the clues lead the way to escaping the room, with an employee on hand to offer hints through the screen. (Image: Claudia Bradley)Once the timer started, the four of us quickly combed the room and searched the props for clues in a frenzy.

True to the theme there were various potions, spell books, and portraits around the room, so that with the magical Harry Potter music playing gently in the background and the wizard robes left out for one of us to wear, we felt like we were in a classroom at Hogwarts.

Fun- The games require teamwork to find the clues and solve the puzzles to escape. Fun- The games require teamwork to find the clues and solve the puzzles to escape. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

With each unlocked padlock bringing us closer to escape, we were only truly stumped once or twice and put our hands on our heads to signal for hints.

But eventually, after a lot of teamwork and with the help of our newly recovered magical wand, we sprung free with about ten minutes to spare.

Team- Escape Colchester advises teams of 3-5 are the best size for the rooms. Team- Escape Colchester advises teams of 3-5 are the best size for the rooms. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

Escape Colchester offered a great experience, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys puzzles and interactive games of any kind.

Situated on Long Wyre Street in the city centre, games are priced between £20 and £27 per person depending on group size.

Bookings can be made online here: https://www.escape-colchester.co.uk/book-now