Creepy eastern lake (5)

I believe the answer is:

eerie

'creepy' is the definition.
(eerie can mean strange or creepy)

'eastern lake' is the wordplay.
'eastern' becomes 'e'.
'lake' becomes 'erie' (Lake Erie is one of the Canadian/US 'Great Lakes').
'e'+'erie'='EERIE'

(Other definitions for eerie that I've seen before include "Strangely frightening" , "Uncannily strange" , "Strange, unusual" , "Unnatural" , "Mysterious" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror and The Daily Express.

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