Ghostbusters are called to check out pub spirits

Landlord Dave Palmer and his partner Jude Lever, outside the White Lion, Delph

A team of ghostbusters has been called in to track down a mischievous spook at a famous Delph pub.

Since moving in six months ago, Dave Palmer and his partner, Jude Lever, have been plagued by strange happenings at the ancient White Lion inn.

Now preliminary investigations by a Manchester-based paranormal group indicate the ghost could be a woman and may date to when three cottages occupied the village site several hundred years ago, before it was turned into an inn.

And now up to a dozen members of Club Zero are planning to spend an all-night vigil at the pub to see if they can thrown any light on the mystery.

They will be examining a room on the top floor of the three-storey black-and white painted inn, which was once hosted by famous cricketing legend Sonny Ramadhin.

The room is used as an office by Dave, who moved from Uppermill to run the pub. He said: “We often hear footsteps running across the top room when we know there is no one there.

“As an experiment, I always leave the top room door open — but somehow it is always shuts itself.

“Even odder is that a chair I use is always placed back under my desk wherever I leave it in the room.

“Whatever it is, is obviously a very neat and tidy spirit,” he quipped.

“She also likes a drink. On a couple of occasions, when the pub is empty, I have found the lager pump pulled down and lager just pouring away.”

He added: “My customers have witnessed coins and glasses moving magically along the bar and shelves — for no apparent reason.

“I started off not believing in ghosts but I think I may be changing my mind. It’s baffling.”

Jude said: “We don’t feel the spirit is unfriendly.

But our pet dog and cat won’t go in one of the upstairs rooms. I’m fascinated to know just what is going on.”

Members of Club Zero plan to bring a multiplex system to the White Lion which can operate television cameras to survey different parts of the pub at their overnight vigil.

One member, Martin Cooper, said: “Our team definitely sensed something on a preliminary visit. A woman seems to figure in the happenings but we are keeping a very open mind about things.”

The group will also bring sensitive recording equipment and other monitoring devices to check out the pub during their stay.