Drivers spooked on haunted highways

Drivers on one of Britain's busiest roads are getting spooked by more than just traffic jams and delays, it was revealed today.

The congested M6 has topped a list of "haunted highways" which has been compiled by the Tarmac construction company in time for Halloween. Roman soldiers, a ghostly woman and a phantom lorry driving the wrong way are included in strange sights seen on the motorway.

And, although Shropshire did not feature in the top 10, ghostly encounters have been reported by motorists in the county, such as the A41 at Weston Park.

Lee Kind, from Ironbridge, who is a commercial development manager for Tarmac National Contracting, said he saw a scary sight during a drive in heavy fog

He said: "I actually drove through a man, a woman and two children who were standing, not floating, just standing in my lane, holding hands. To this day, and every time I think of them, I get a shudder down my spine.

"Who were they, and why were they there?"

Despite thousands of people enjoying the Halloween festivities, a Shropshire Pagan high priestess today condemned ghost hunting for fun. Abbie Hemmings, who is also known as Pagan Priestess Isadora, said people should be aware that ghosts had feelings too and it was disrespectful to disturb them for fun.

Miss Hemmings, of Bishop's Castle, said: "I find the increasing number of ghost hunts run by paranormal research teams with a medium in tow, quite sickening."

Among the many events across the county, staff and volunteers at the PDSA shop in Wellington donned fancy dress costumes to celebrate their eighth birthday and to mark Halloween.

And pupils at Hodnet Primary School are celebrating Halloween tonight with an after-school disco organised by the school PTA to raise money for school funds.

By Simon Alton